Digital and Immersive Technologies for Rehabilitation in Complex Psychosis: State of the Art and Future Directions

Complex psychosis (CP) remains one of the most challenging conditions in mental health, characterized by persistent symptoms, cognitive impairment, functional disability, and reduced autonomy. Traditional rehabilitation approaches, although essential, are often insufficient to address the multidimensional needs of these individuals. Over the past decade, rapid advances in digital health have opened new opportunities to enhance psychosocial rehabilitation, improve engagement, and personalize treatment pathways. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on the use of digital and immersive technologies in the rehabilitation of people with CP, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), telerehabilitation platforms, mobile health (m-Health) applications, digital phenotyping, and AI-assisted cognitive remediation. We examine clinical trials, feasibility studies, and real-world implementations published between 2015 and 2025, highlighting the efficacy of VR-based social cognition training, remote cognitive remediation, ecological momentary interventions, and hybrid digital-in-person rehabilitation models. Mechanisms of action, transfer to real-world functioning, and predictors of engagement are described. Barriers such as digital literacy, access disparities, privacy concerns, and clinical integration are critically discussed. We also outline future directions, including adaptive algorithms, biosensor integration, and the development of multimodal digital ecosystems tailored to individual recovery trajectories. By integrating technological innovation with recovery-oriented care, digital rehabilitation tools have the potential to transform the treatment landscape for people with CP. This review offers a roadmap for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers seeking to incorporate evidence-based digital solutions into modern psychiatric rehabilitation.

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Publication Details

Journal
Medicina
Published
2026-04-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62040765
Primary Topic
Schizophrenia research and treatment
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Digital and Immersive Technologies for Rehabilitation in Complex Psychosis: State of the Art and Future Directions

Carlo Lai, Marianna Mazza, Mariateresa Acanfora, Antonio Pallotti et al.
Medicina
Schizophrenia research and treatment
article

Digital and Immersive Technologies for Rehabilitation in Complex Psychosis: State of the Art and Future Directions

Carlo Lai, Marianna Mazza, Mariateresa Acanfora, Antonio Pallotti, Gianandrea Traversi, Giorgio Veneziani, Emanuele Caroppo, Giuseppe Mandracchia, Giuseppe Marano, Osvaldo Mazza
article en

Abstract

Complex psychosis (CP) remains one of the most challenging conditions in mental health, characterized by persistent symptoms, cognitive impairment, functional disability, and reduced autonomy. Traditional rehabilitation approaches, although essential, are often insufficient to address the multidimensional needs of these individuals. Over the past decade, rapid advances in digital health have opened new opportunities to enhance psychosocial rehabilitation, improve engagement, and personalize treatment pathways. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on the use of digital and immersive technologies in the rehabilitation of people with CP, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), telerehabilitation platforms, mobile health (m-Health) applications, digital phenotyping, and AI-assisted cognitive remediation. We examine clinical trials, feasibility studies, and real-world implementations published between 2015 and 2025, highlighting the efficacy of VR-based social cognition training, remote cognitive remediation, ecological momentary interventions, and hybrid digital-in-person rehabilitation models. Mechanisms of action, transfer to real-world functioning, and predictors of engagement are described. Barriers such as digital literacy, access disparities, privacy concerns, and clinical integration are critically discussed. We also outline future directions, including adaptive algorithms, biosensor integration, and the development of multimodal digital ecosystems tailored to individual recovery trajectories. By integrating technological innovation with recovery-oriented care, digital rehabilitation tools have the potential to transform the treatment landscape for people with CP. This review offers a roadmap for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers seeking to incorporate evidence-based digital solutions into modern psychiatric rehabilitation.

MedicinaVol. 62(4)
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT), University of Rome Tor Vergata (IT), Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic (IT), Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital (IT), Azienda Sanitaria Locale Roma 3 (IT), Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
Quality Education
Openalex Percentile: Top 22%
Schizophrenia research and treatment
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