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The DOI matches its Crossref record; 2 of the 2 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

“I was Truly Able to Express the Image of Myself that I have within”: Exploring VR Group Therapy Approaches with the LGBTQIA+ Community

Skierś, Kinga, Peng, Danyang, Kundu, Anish, Person, Tanner, Takase, Kenkichi, Nagoshi, Tamii, Nakayama, Sawako, Yuichiro, Yano, Miyazaki, Tomoyuki, Minamizawa, Kouta, Barbareschi, Giulia·2025·IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics
DOI 10.1109/tvcg.2025.3616754
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Abstract

Members of the LGBTQIA+ community are more likely to face mental health challenges. However, stigma and the fear of being outed often prevent them from seeking professional support. To address this, we collaborated with mental health professionals and LGBTQIA+ communities in Japan to develop a multi-user Virtual Reality (VR) platform that facilitates access to group therapy sessions. The system allows users to participate using personalized avatars and customized voices, preserving anonymity while enabling them to present themselves as they wish. We conducted a user study with 21 LGBTQIA+ participants and two qualified counselors to evaluate their experiences with VR-based therapy. Findings revealed that the created avatars enabled participants to express their chosen gender identity and increase confidence, acting as protective intermediaries. However, participants also noted how anonymity could affect trust, and suggested that better representation of body language and the introduction of trust-building activities could help compensate for such ambivalence. Overall, the platform fostered a strong sense of co-presence, and both counselors and LGBTQIA+ members felt that, with some ergonomic adjustment to improve the comfort of the headset during longer sessions, VR platforms could offer substantial opportunities for safe and representative access to mental health services.

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Crossref · 10.1109/tvcg.2025.3616754

Cites

2 of 2 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • The same anonymity made it harder to read others in the group and to trust that they were presenting themselves honestly.

    “The same anonymity, however, made it harder to read others in the group and to trust that they were presenting themselves honestly.”

    From Artificial intelligence and immersive technologies for LGBTQ+ youth: a narrative review (2026) · cites this paper as Skierś et al. (2025)

  • Skierś et al. (2025) found that customized avatars and adjustable voices allowed participants to present their gender as they wished, and several said the avatar gave them the confidence to speak; for transgender participants, voice mattered as much as appearance.

    “Customized avatars and adjustable voices allowed participants to present their gender as they wished, and several said the avatar gave them the confidence to speak; for transgender participants, voice mattered as much as appearance.”

    From Artificial intelligence and immersive technologies for LGBTQ+ youth: a narrative review (2026) · cites this paper as Skierś et al. (2025)

  • In a VR group therapy study, adults reported that anonymity made it easier to speak but harder to trust others in the group.

    “Adults in a VR group therapy study added a caution: anonymity made it easier to speak but harder to trust others in the group (Skierś et al., 2025).”

    From Artificial intelligence and immersive technologies for LGBTQ+ youth: a narrative review (2026) · cites this paper as Skierś et al., 2025

Citations

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Metadata

Authors
Skierś, K., Peng, D., Kundu, A., Person, T., Takase, K., Nagoshi, T., Nakayama, S., Yuichiro, Y., Miyazaki, T., Minamizawa, K., & Barbareschi, G.
Affiliations
  • Keio University, Graduate School of Media Design, Japan
  • Yokohama City University, Japan
  • Ideal Japan Inc, Japan
  • Shiga University, Japan
  • Research Center Trustworthy Data Science and Security, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
ORCID
Venue
IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics
Publisher
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Published
2025-11
Volume
31
Issue
11
Pages
9688-9698
ISSN
  • 1077-2626
  • 1941-0506
  • 2160-9306
DOI
10.1109/tvcg.2025.3616754
Cited by
5
References
2
Licence
Funders
  • JST Moonshot R&D Program “Cybernetic being” Project (JPMJMS2013)
  • JST COI-NEXT “Minds1020Lab” Project (JPMJPF2203)

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