Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
The most common use of VR in treatment has been through VRET (Maples-Keller et al., 2017; Rothbaum et al., 2010). This type of treatment has primarily been used for anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), phobias, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, and agoraphobia. Symptoms of anxiety include heart palpitations, chest pain, dizziness, restlessness, and muscle tension. To be diagnosed with this type of disorder, the symptoms must last for more than 2 days to 4 weeks and interfere with the patient’s everyday life. These disorders are commonly treated with medications and behavioral interventions such as ET.
Traditional ET confronts the fears and/or anxieties that underlie the disorder so that people can engage in activities they have been avoiding. Patients are exposed to the source of their anxiety until they are desensitized. This is generally done in three ways. First, in vivo treatment exposes the patient to an actual anxiety-inducing situation. Imaginal exposure is when a patient imagines a situation that produces the fear or anxiety. The third type is interoceptive exposure, where the primary focus in on the bodily symptoms experienced during anxiety. VRET has been used to improve on these methods by providing a virtual setting to experience the stimulus (Botella et al., 2007). Using VR with traditional ET allows the patient to be transported to an immersive virtual environment where he or she can experience the events or objects that cause their disorder but do so in a safe and controlled environment (Botella et al., 2007).
Through extensive research, VRET has been shown to significantly reduce anxiety disorders in patients (Arroll et al., 2017; Botella et al., 2017; Grillon et al., 2006; Maples-Keller et al., 2017). In addition, VRET has been shown to consistently outperform controlled conditions and is often found to be more effective than in vivo treatment (Morina et al., 2015; Opris et al., 2012; Parsons & Rizzo, 2008; Powers & Emmelkamp, 2007; Wiederhold, 2004). Many patients also noted that they felt VRET was safer, more private, and less costly than traditional treatments (Riva, 2009; Wiederhold & Wiederhold, 2004). With all of these advances in using the technology in treatment, VRET has not been widely used to assist with the many challenges of the criminal justice system, although this is changing. Although the use of VR is relatively new, some agencies are embracing the technology to address the needs of victims and offenders. Treating the trauma of crime using VRET is growing in feasibility and popularity. Treatments for disorders, such as anxiety and substance abuse, have been enhanced using VR.
Our VRET curriculum was designed by CTS founder, Dr. Bobbie Ticknor. Her expertise in software development, program design, curriculum development, and gamification enabled her to create this treatment program for both community and institutional corrections. She offers trainings on the curriculum for those who want to use the technology to enhance their current correctional rehabilitation efforts.