A Technological Approach: Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Öz

The use of virtual reality in the field of mental health is based on the change of human perceptions with artificial objects and places as if they exist in reality through computerized models. Virtual reality exposure therapy emerges as a preferred method because of being safe, economic and controllable. On the other hand, the difficulty of developing virtual reality applications, high cost of the virtual reality hardware systems, and possible side effects of virtual reality causes some limitations. Virtual reality applications for children started relatively late because of these side effects. This review article includes studies conducted with both adults and children. This article aims to explain what virtual reality therapy is and how it has been used in the process of counseling specific phobias, agoraphobia, posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder, and autism. Subsequently, virtual reality applications were evaluated in terms of effectiveness, benefits, potential harmful aspects, and limitations.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Virtual reality
• Virtual reality exposure therapy
• Virtual reality therapy

Teknolojik Bir Yaklaşım: Sanal Gerçeklik Maruz Bırakma Terapisi

Öz

Sanal gerçekliğin ruh sağlığı alanında kullanımı, bilgisayarlı modeller yoluyla insan algılarının yapay nesne ve yerlerle gerçekte varmışçasına değiştirilmesine dayalıdır. Sanal gerçeklik maruz bırakma terapisi, güvenli, ekonomik ve kontrol edilebilir bir yöntem olması nedeniyle tercih edilmektedir. Diğer yandan sanal gerçeklik uygulamalarının geliştirilmesinin karmaşıklığı, kullanılan donanımların yüksek maliyetli olması ve sanal gerçeklik kullanımının neden olduğu olası yan etkiler, bazı sınırlılıklara neden olmaktadır. Bu yan etkiler, özellikle çocuklarla yapılan sanal gerçeklik uygulamalarının görece daha geç başlamasına neden olmuştur. Bu derleme makalesi kapsamında hem yetişkinlerle hem de çocuklarla yürütülen çalışmalara yer verilmektedir. Bu makalede ilk olarak sanal gerçeklik maruz bırakma terapisinin ne olduğu açıklanmış, ardından sanal gerçeklik terapisi ile sıklıkla çalışılmış olan özgül fobiler, kapalı alan ve açık alan korkusu, sosyal fobi, travma sonrası stres bozukluğu, obsesif kompulsif bozukluk, dikkat eksikliği ve hiperaktivite bozukluğu ile otizmde kullanılan sanal gerçeklik temelli uygulamalar ele alınmıştır. Daha sonra sanal gerçeklik uygulamaları, etkililikleri, yararları, olası zararları ve sınırlılıkları açısından değerlendirilmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Sanal gerçeklik
• Sanal gerçeklik maruz bırakma terapisi
• Sanal gerçeklik terapisi

Kaynakça

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