Assessment and treatment of mental health conditions in children and adolescents: A systematic scoping review of how virtual reality environments have been used.

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dc.contributor.authorBlanco, D.
dc.contributor.authorRoberts, R.M.
dc.contributor.authorGannoni, A.
dc.contributor.authorCook, S.
dc.date.issued2023
dc.description.abstractBackground: There is growing interest in the use of virtual reality environments (VREs) in psychological treatment and assessment. Most research has focused on the application of VREs in adult psychological disorders with fewer studies focusing on its applicability with children and adolescents. A systematic scoping review was undertaken of research assessing how VREs have been used in the treatment and assessment of childhood mental health disorders to provide an overview of the current state of the literature and identify future research directions. Method: Systematic searches of online databases were conducted in PsycInfo, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. Results: Eleven studies met eligibility criteria and were included in this review, with the majority focusing on VRE interventions for anxiety-related disorders. There is also emerging support for VRE deep breathing training for anxiety, VRE assisted treatment of internet gaming disorder and anorexia nervosa, and VRE assessment of body image evaluation in anorexia nervosa. Most studies were pilot and feasibility studies with only three randomised-controlled trials (RCT). Conclusions: The current literature shows some promise for the use of VRE assessments and interventions of childhood mental health problems, particularly for anxiety-related disorders such as social anxiety and specific phobias. However, high-quality RCTs are now needed to establish effectiveness of VREs in this population, and how it compares to existing evidence-based approaches, given its promise to improve both engagement and outcomes.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityDana Blanco, Rachel M Roberts, Anne Gannoni, and Steve Cook
dc.identifier.citationClinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2023; 29(3):1070-1086
dc.identifier.doi10.1177/13591045231204082
dc.identifier.issn1359-1045
dc.identifier.issn1461-7021
dc.identifier.orcidRoberts, R.M. [0000-0002-9547-9995]
dc.identifier.orcidCook, S. [0000-0002-0621-0290]
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2440/144947
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSAGE Publications
dc.rights© The Author(s) 2023. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1177/13591045231204082
dc.subjectAdolescent; children; mental health; virtual reality
dc.subject.meshHumans
dc.subject.meshMental Disorders
dc.subject.meshAnxiety Disorders
dc.subject.meshAdolescent
dc.subject.meshChild
dc.subject.meshVirtual Reality Exposure Therapy
dc.subject.meshVirtual Reality
dc.titleAssessment and treatment of mental health conditions in children and adolescents: A systematic scoping review of how virtual reality environments have been used.
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished online

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