Mental Health Virtual Reality

Thorough review of how virtual reality technology is transforming the field of mental health MHVR: The Power of Immersive Worlds is an expansive and highly insightful exploration into the integration of virtual reality (VR) within the spectrum of mental health offerings. This book is not merely a collection of research and examples; it is a journey through the evolution of VR, tracing its origins from visionary fiction to a substantial, transformative tool in mental health therapy. Written in a modular format with case studies included throughout, this book features contributions from well-known names in the fields of mental health and technology. Readers will learn about: How VR can help clients “paint a picture” during therapy, such as with the help of the Apple Vision Pro and similar devices Various applications of VR in the field of mental health, from suicide assessment, treatment, and prevention, to addiction, to trauma therapy in warzones Hygiene practices in cybersecurity and data management to keep client data private, safe, and secure MHVR: The Power of Immersive Worlds earns a well-deserved spot on the bookshelves of all mental health professionals seeking state-of-the-art knowledge to help improve patient outcomes, as well as all curious individuals seeking to understand more about the latest VR developments and how they can be used to change the world for the better.

List of Contributors vii About the Authors xi About the Companion Website xxv Section I Fundamentals 1 MHVR Introduction and History 3 Jessica Stone 2 Current Directions in Research on Virtual Reality for Mental Healthcare 13 Triton Ong, Hiral Soni, Julia Ivanova, Hattie Wilczewski, Mollie Cummins, Janelle Barerra, Brandon M. Welch, and Brian E. Bunnell 3 The Reality of Virtual Human Connections 27 Rachel A. Altvater Section II Considerations 4 Ethics, Rights, and Cybersecurity 41 Catherine Knibbs 5 Neurorights in Immersive Worlds: Safeguarding Cognitive Freedom in Virtual Realms 53 Amanda Kavner 6 Accessibility Components in Virtual Reality 67 Marzena Anna Michalewska Copyrighted Material Section III Environments 7 Virtual Reality in Clinical Mental Health 83 Jessica Stone 8 Drama Therapy and Virtual Reality: The Future of Creative Embodiment 101 Monique Hill and Lebogang Mokgatle 9 Convergence of Extended Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Leaning, and Wearable Sensors in the Field of Education 113 Richard Lamb, Ikseon Choi, and Tosha Owens Section IV Populations 10 Virtual Reality and Neurodivergence 131 Robert Jason Grant 11 Treating Anxiety Disorders with Virtual Reality 143 Elizabeth McMahon 12 The Virtual Ukraine Project: Trauma Therapy in Warzones with Virtual Reality 159 Albert “Skip” Rizzo, Cezar Giosan, George Deac, Olya Zaporozhets, Oksana Syvak, Svetlana Dragayeva, Ehud Bodner, Shel Mann, and Jessica Stone 13 Virtual Reality: Suicide Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention of Mental Health Disorders 181 Leslie Baker and Christine Wheeler- Case Jones 14 Virtual Reality Approaches to Trauma- Based Mental Healthcare 193 Gillian Rodriguez 15 Virtual Reality and Chronic Pain 207 DeAnne C. Canieso and James M. Perez 16 Pediatrics in Hospitals 219 Valentino Megale 17 Using Virtual Reality to Support Children with Cancer 235 Gregory Tarnacki Index 247