Tailored Immersion: Implementing Personalized Components Into Virtual Reality for Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
With the application of virtual reality (VR), tailored interventions can be created that mirror the traumatic experiences of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Visual elements can be mimicked, and auditory and other senses stimulated. In doing so, the degree of immersion can be adj...
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doaj-98b0321c244846b28b5907e517dc1da92021-09-30T05:32:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Virtual Reality2673-41922021-09-01210.3389/frvir.2021.740795740795Tailored Immersion: Implementing Personalized Components Into Virtual Reality for Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderNancy van Veelen0Nancy van Veelen1Rudy C. Boonekamp2Tjeerd A.J. Schoonderwoerd3Martijn L. van Emmerik4Mirjam J. Nijdam5Mirjam J. Nijdam6Bastiaan Bruinsma7Elbert Geuze8Elbert Geuze9Chelsea Jones10Chelsea Jones11Eric Vermetten12Eric Vermetten13Eric Vermetten14Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), Psychiatry, Leiden, NetherlandsARQ Centrum’ 45, Oegstgeest, NetherlandsNetherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Soesterberg, NetherlandsNetherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Soesterberg, NetherlandsNetherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Soesterberg, NetherlandsARQ Centrum’ 45, Oegstgeest, NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, NetherlandsBrain Research and Innovation Centre, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, NetherlandsBrain Research and Innovation Centre, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht, NetherlandsLeiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), Psychiatry, Leiden, NetherlandsCanadian Forces Health Services, Department of National Defense, Ottawa, ON, CanadaLeiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), Psychiatry, Leiden, NetherlandsARQ Centrum’ 45, Oegstgeest, NetherlandsMilitary Mental Health Care, Ministry of Defense, Utrecht, NetherlandsWith the application of virtual reality (VR), tailored interventions can be created that mirror the traumatic experiences of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Visual elements can be mimicked, and auditory and other senses stimulated. In doing so, the degree of immersion can be adjusted to optimize the therapeutic process. Objectively measuring the sensory immersion is key to keep subjects within their personal window of tolerance. Based on this information the therapist can decide manipulate the sensory stimulation embedded in the treatment. The objectives of this article are to explore the different immersive design aspects of VRET that can be modified to influence the experienced presence in veterans with PTSD, and to discuss possible methods of measuring the emotional response facilitated by immersive design aspects and experienced presence. Four design aspects are discussed: system, sensory cues, narrative and challenge. We also report on a user experiment in three veterans that informed on quality and depth of immersion. Believability of the neutral virtual environment was important for maintaining the veterans’ presence within the VR experience. The immersive design aspects that were personalized and supportive in the narrative of the veteran such as music and self-selected images appeared to have a strong influence on recall and reliving of the traumatic events. Finally, in order to increase the therapeutic effect in veterans with PTSD, the highlighted design aspects should be recognized and tailored to maximize immersion in virtual reality exposure therapy.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frvir.2021.740795/fullpost-traumatic stress disordervirtual realityimmersionpresenceveteransuser experiment |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Nancy van Veelen Nancy van Veelen Rudy C. Boonekamp Tjeerd A.J. Schoonderwoerd Martijn L. van Emmerik Mirjam J. Nijdam Mirjam J. Nijdam Bastiaan Bruinsma Elbert Geuze Elbert Geuze Chelsea Jones Chelsea Jones Eric Vermetten Eric Vermetten Eric Vermetten |
spellingShingle |
Nancy van Veelen Nancy van Veelen Rudy C. Boonekamp Tjeerd A.J. Schoonderwoerd Martijn L. van Emmerik Mirjam J. Nijdam Mirjam J. Nijdam Bastiaan Bruinsma Elbert Geuze Elbert Geuze Chelsea Jones Chelsea Jones Eric Vermetten Eric Vermetten Eric Vermetten Tailored Immersion: Implementing Personalized Components Into Virtual Reality for Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Frontiers in Virtual Reality post-traumatic stress disorder virtual reality immersion presence veterans user experiment |
author_facet |
Nancy van Veelen Nancy van Veelen Rudy C. Boonekamp Tjeerd A.J. Schoonderwoerd Martijn L. van Emmerik Mirjam J. Nijdam Mirjam J. Nijdam Bastiaan Bruinsma Elbert Geuze Elbert Geuze Chelsea Jones Chelsea Jones Eric Vermetten Eric Vermetten Eric Vermetten |
author_sort |
Nancy van Veelen |
title |
Tailored Immersion: Implementing Personalized Components Into Virtual Reality for Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder |
title_short |
Tailored Immersion: Implementing Personalized Components Into Virtual Reality for Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder |
title_full |
Tailored Immersion: Implementing Personalized Components Into Virtual Reality for Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder |
title_fullStr |
Tailored Immersion: Implementing Personalized Components Into Virtual Reality for Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder |
title_full_unstemmed |
Tailored Immersion: Implementing Personalized Components Into Virtual Reality for Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder |
title_sort |
tailored immersion: implementing personalized components into virtual reality for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Virtual Reality |
issn |
2673-4192 |
publishDate |
2021-09-01 |
description |
With the application of virtual reality (VR), tailored interventions can be created that mirror the traumatic experiences of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Visual elements can be mimicked, and auditory and other senses stimulated. In doing so, the degree of immersion can be adjusted to optimize the therapeutic process. Objectively measuring the sensory immersion is key to keep subjects within their personal window of tolerance. Based on this information the therapist can decide manipulate the sensory stimulation embedded in the treatment. The objectives of this article are to explore the different immersive design aspects of VRET that can be modified to influence the experienced presence in veterans with PTSD, and to discuss possible methods of measuring the emotional response facilitated by immersive design aspects and experienced presence. Four design aspects are discussed: system, sensory cues, narrative and challenge. We also report on a user experiment in three veterans that informed on quality and depth of immersion. Believability of the neutral virtual environment was important for maintaining the veterans’ presence within the VR experience. The immersive design aspects that were personalized and supportive in the narrative of the veteran such as music and self-selected images appeared to have a strong influence on recall and reliving of the traumatic events. Finally, in order to increase the therapeutic effect in veterans with PTSD, the highlighted design aspects should be recognized and tailored to maximize immersion in virtual reality exposure therapy. |
topic |
post-traumatic stress disorder virtual reality immersion presence veterans user experiment |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frvir.2021.740795/full |
work_keys_str_mv |
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