The Use of Virtual Reality Interventions to Promote Positive Mental Health: Systematic Literature Review (Preprint)

• DOI: 10.2196/preprints.44998
• Publication Date: 2023-07-06T14:00:52Z
• Authors: Giorgio Li Pira; Beatrice Aquilini; Alessandro Davoli; Silvana Grandi; Chiara Ruini
• Keywords: Depression; Limiting

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> A large body of research has documented the efficacy psychological interventions integrated with virtual reality (VR) therapies in treating psychiatric disorders. However, concept positive mental health calls for a 2-fold approach which both symptoms and functioning should be addressed by modern interventions. </sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> This review aimed to summarize studies that applied VR embracing perspective. <title>METHODS</title> literature search was conducted entering following keywords—“virtual reality” AND “intervention” OR “treatment” “therapy” “mental health” NOT “systematic or meta-analysis”—and limiting it “journal article” English language. To included this review, articles had present at least one quantitative measure distress investigate adult populations, including populations <title>RESULTS</title> total 20 were included. They described various protocols treatment anxiety disorders (5/20, 25%), depression (2/20, 10%), posttraumatic stress disorder (3/20, 15%), psychosis (7/20, 35%). Most (13/20, 65%) showed beneficial effects improving negative symptoms. 35% (7/20) no small effect on dimensions positivity, particularly clinical samples. <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> might cost-effective largely scalable, but further is needed develop existing software treatments according approach.