The DOI matches its Crossref record; 76 of the 76 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Review of Virtual Reality Treatment in Psychiatry: Evidence Versus Current Diffusion and Use
Abstract
Purpose of review This review provides an overview of the current evidence base for and clinical applications of the use of virtual reality (VR) in psychiatric practice, in context of recent technological developments.Recent findings The use of VR in psychiatric practice shows promise with much of the research demonstrating clinical effectiveness for conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and phobias, chronic pain, rehabilitation, and addictions. However, more research is needed before the use of VR is considered a clinical standard of practice in some areas. The recent release of first generation consumer VR products signals a change in the viability of further developing VR systems and applications. As applications increase so will the need for good quality research to best understand what makes VR effective, and when VR is not appropriate for clinical services. As the field progresses, it is hopeful that the flexibility afforded by this technology will yield superior outcomes and a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms impacting those outcomes.
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“Numerous studies have integrated VR with various psychotherapies, and their effectiveness and safety have been preliminarily validated (16–18).”
From A virtual reality-based self-guided training on identification of negative automatic thoughts in healthy adults: a mixed-methods feasibility study (2024) · cites this paper as [18]
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“58 To solve any technical difficulty in applying virtual reality, initial orientation and troubleshooting provided by synchronous interaction using telephone, SMS, or videoconferencing may be implemented to enhance participant adherence and convenience.”
Virtual reality technology as a promising direction in neurorehabilitation
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“Kandalaft and others found significant improvements in social cognition abilities and practical social performance through a VR-based social cognition training program for individuals with high-functioning autism [42].”
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“Fortunately, with the growth of the VR commercial consumer market, we can see that the accessibility of VR software has increased, and the prices of VR equipment have decreased (Mishkind et al., 2017; Norr et al., 2018).”
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E-Tactile Flow: Exploring A Novel Path of Pain Relief through Interactive Electrotactile Stimulation
Liu, S., Lin, Y., Lin, H., Ma, Y., Zhou, C., Hu, Y. Q., Zhang, B., Li, X., Han, T., & Bian, Y. (2026) · CHI Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA) · doi:10.1145/3772363.3798723
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Applications of Virtual Reality in Psychiatry. Systematic Review of the Scientific Literature
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Metadata
- Authors
- Mishkind, M. C., Norr, A. M., Katz, A. C., & Reger, G. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Colorado Anschutz (US)
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System (US)
- University of Washington (US)
- Corresponding author
- Mishkind, Matthew C.
- Venue
- Current Psychiatry Reports
- Published
- 2017-09-18
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 80-80
- ISSN
- 1523-3812 (ISSN-L)
- 1535-1645
- OpenAlex
- W2754266853
- Cited by
- 136
- References
- 74
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 10
- FWCI
- 1.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Psychiatry Reports (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Keywords
- virtual reality, virtual reality therapy, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, phobia, chronic pain, rehabilitation, addiction treatment, clinical effectiveness
- MeSH terms
- Mental Disorders, Humans, Psychiatry, Treatment Outcome, Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
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