A Virtual Reality–Based Cognitive Defusion Application for Youth Depression and Anxiety: Mixed Methods Experimental Study
The VR cognitive defusion application was feasible, safe, and acceptable for young people, with potential to enhance mental health treatment through an engaging and enjoyable approach to learning third-wave cognitive behavioral therapy techniques. While VR was preferred by participants, further refinements could improve effectiveness. Future research should focus on enhancing the VR application design based on user feedback, incorporating audio guidance, and conducting a larger trial in real-world settings to thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of the VR application.
Authors
- Greg Wadley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4230-3440)
- Imogen Bell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7567-0517)
- Carli Ellinghaus (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9077-3124)
- Sarah Bendall (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1486-6190)
- Andrew David Thompson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0567-6013)
- Shaunagh O’Sullivan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5234-5727)
- John Gleeson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7969-492X)
- Lucia Valmaggia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6099-8464)
- Cassandra Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7129-8022)
- Mario Álvarez‐Jiménez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3535-9086)
- Kate Reynolds (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6960-2443)
- Yang Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7240-1546)
Institutions
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- King's College London (GB)
- University of Warwick (GB)
- Orygen (AU)
- Australian Catholic University (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- JMIR Mental Health
- Published
- 2025-04-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.2196/70160
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.09