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Cited by 63Virtual Reality Applications and ImpactsTelemedicine and Telehealth ImplementationEthics and bioethics in healthcare

Therapy in virtual environments--clinical and ethical issues

Yellowlees, Peter M., Holloway, Kevin M., Parish, Michelle Burke·2012·Telemedicine and e-Health
DOI 10.1089/tmj.2011.0195
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: As virtual reality and computer-assisted therapy strategies are increasingly implemented for the treatment of psychological disorders, ethical standards and guidelines must be considered. This study determined a set of ethical and legal guidelines for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)/traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a virtual environment incorporating the rights of an individual who is represented by an avatar. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive literature review was undertaken. An example of a case study of therapy in Second Life (a popular online virtual world developed by Linden Labs) was described. RESULTS: Ethical and legal considerations regarding psychiatric treatment of PTSD/TBI in a virtual environment were examined. The following issues were described and discussed: authentication of providers and patients, informed consent, patient confidentiality, patient well-being, clinician competence (licensing and credentialing), training of providers, insurance for providers, the therapeutic environment, and emergencies. Ethical and legal guidelines relevant to these issues in a virtual environment were proposed. CONCLUSIONS: Ethical and legal issues in virtual environments are similar to those that occur in the in-person world. Individuals represented by an avatar have the rights equivalent to the individual and should be treated as such.

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  • VR technology allows for the electronic collection of vast amounts of data.

    “Given that VR technology allows for the electronic collection of vast amounts of data, caution regarding the specifics of the hardware and software is warranted, especially in the context of third-party applications, on-line data collection, data storage and protection against potential manipulation (Marloth et al., 2020; Yellowlees et al., 2012).”

    From Virtual Reality exposure therapy in the treatment of public speaking anxiety and social anxiety disorder (2024) · cites this paper as Yellowlees et al., 2012

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Authors
Yellowlees, P. M., Holloway, K. M., & Parish, M. B.
Affiliations
  • University of California System (US)
  • National Center for Telehealth and Technology
Corresponding author
Yellowlees, Peter M.
ORCID
Venue
Telemedicine and e-Health
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2012-09
Volume
18
Issue
7
Pages
558-564
ISSN
  • 1530-5627 (ISSN-L)
  • 1556-3669
DOI
10.1089/tmj.2011.0195
OpenAlex
W2036411149
Cited by
63
References
51
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3
FWCI
0.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Telemedicine Journal and e-Health (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ethics and bioethics in healthcare
Keywords
virtual reality therapy, computer-assisted therapy, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, moral norms, legal issues, informed consent, patient confidentiality, Second Life, virtual worlds
MeSH terms
Brain Injuries, Clinical Competence, Confidentiality, Humans, Informed Consent, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Therapy, Computer-Assisted, User-Computer Interface, Patient Safety

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