Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28325167›Full record

SynthesisPsychological medicine2017

Virtual reality in the assessment, understanding, and treatment of mental health disorders.

D Freeman, S Reeve, A Robinson, A Ehlers, D Clark, B Spanlang, M Slater

9 registry-linked trialsOpen access · hybridAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Psychological medicine, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 9 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 426 papers, 16 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
426citing papers in PubMed, 16 pooled it
66.4field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03830372 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2019, after this paper: background citation

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the "VRTierOne" Virtual Therapeutic Game as a Method Supporting the Post-stroke Rehabilitation

TypeinterventionalSponsorWroclaw University of Health and Sport SciencesRan2019 to 2020Enrolled39ConditionsStroke, DepressionArmsVR Tier One, Control
NCT04045977 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2019, after this paper: background citation

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Reality Therapy as a Method Supporting the Cardiac Rehabilitation

TypeinterventionalSponsorWroclaw University of Health and Sport SciencesRan2019 to 2019Enrolled34ConditionsCardiovascular Diseases, Coronary Artery Disease, Depressive Symptoms, Mood DisordersArmsCardiac rehabilitation, Virtual therapeutic support, Standard therapeutic support
NCT04047511 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2019, after this paper: background citation

Immersive Virtual Therapy as a Method Supporting the Non-Farmacological Treatment of Late-Life Depression

TypeinterventionalSponsorWroclaw University of Health and Sport SciencesRan2019 to 2019Enrolled23ConditionsDepressive Symptoms, Depression, AnxietyArmsVRTierOne, Group general fitness training, Group Psychoeducation
NCT04313777 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2020, after this paper: background citation

The Evaluation of Virtual Reality Therapy Efficacy in the Treatment of Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

TypeinterventionalSponsorWroclaw University of Health and Sport SciencesRan2020 to 2020Enrolled77ConditionsCardiovascular Diseases, Coronary Artery Disease, Depressive Symptoms, Mood DisordersArmsCardiac rehabilitation, Virtual therapeutic support, Schultz Autogenic Training
NCT04799717 completednot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

Game-based Telehealth Therapeutic Intervention in First Onset Psychosis

TypeobservationalSponsorStanford UniversityRan2021 to 2022Enrolled8ConditionsPsychotic Disorders, Schizophrenia Spectrum DisordersArmsGaming session
NCT06115928 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Effects of VIRTUal reALity on Rehabilitation in Patients With Heart Failure: a Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorValentina MicheluzziRan2023 to 2024Enrolled80ConditionsHeart Failure, Reduced Ejection FractionArmsVirtual reality
NCT06960057 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Exploring Virtual Reality as a Clinical Tool for Blood Pressure Reduction and Assessment of White Coat Hypertension/Effect: A Pre- and Post-Intervention Study With ABPM Validation

TypeinterventionalSponsorMayo ClinicRan2025 to 2025Enrolled79ConditionsWhite Coat Hypertension, Hypertension, Blood Pressure, AnxietyArmsVirtual Reality Exposure
NCT07020975 naenrolling by invitationnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

The Effect of Virtual Reality Application on Anxiety Before and After Embryo Transfer in Infertile Women

TypeinterventionalSponsorCyprus Aydin UniversityRan2025 to 2026Enrolled80ConditionsAnxiety, Assisted Reproductive Treatments, Women, VRArmsVR Glasses
NCT07124598 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Virtual Intelligence for Transformative Lifestyle Solutions in Pain

TypeinterventionalSponsorMontefiore Medical CenterRan2026 to 2026Enrolled15ConditionsChronic PainArmsVR Headset Device - Meta Quest 3
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

426 citing papers in PubMed, 16 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 1,334 citations in OpenAlex.

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  9. Virtual reality for cancer symptom management: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
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  13. Application of virtual reality for supportive care in cancer patients: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024
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366 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

D FreemanDepartment of Psychiatry,University of Oxford,Oxford,UK.
S ReeveDepartment of Psychiatry,University of Oxford,Oxford,UK.
A RobinsonDepartment of Experimental Psychology,University of Oxford,Oxford,UK.
A EhlersOxford Health NHS Foundation Trust,Oxford,UK.
D ClarkOxford Health NHS Foundation Trust,Oxford,UK.
B SpanlangEvent Lab, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology,University of Barcelona,Barcelona,Spain.
M SlaterEvent Lab, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology,University of Barcelona,Barcelona,Spain.
University of Oxford · GBOxford Health NHS Foundation Trust · GBUniversitat de Barcelona · ES

Funding

Department of Health RP-2014-05-003Wellcome Trust 200796/Z/16/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Mental health problems are inseparable from the environment. With virtual reality (VR), computer-generated interactive environments, individuals can repeatedly experience their problematic situations and be taught, via evidence-based psychological treatments, how to overcome difficulties. VR is moving out of specialist laboratories. Our central aim was to describe the potential of VR in mental health, including a consideration of the first 20 years of applications. A systematic review of empirical studies was conducted. In all, 285 studies were identified, with 86 concerning assessment, 45 theory development, and 154 treatment. The main disorders researched were anxiety (n = 192), schizophrenia (n = 44), substance-related disorders (n = 22) and eating disorders (n = 18). There are pioneering early studies, but the methodological quality of studies was generally low. The gaps in meaningful applications to mental health are extensive. The most established finding is that VR exposure-based treatments can reduce anxiety disorders, but there are numerous research and treatment avenues of promise. VR was found to be a much-misused term, often applied to non-interactive and non-immersive technologies. We conclude that VR has the potential to transform the assessment, understanding and treatment of mental health problems. The treatment possibilities will only be realized if - with the user experience at the heart of design - the best immersive VR technology is combined with targeted translational interventions. The capability of VR to simulate reality could greatly increase access to psychological therapies, while treatment outcomes could be enhanced by the technology's ability to create new realities. VR may merit the level of attention given to neuroimaging.

Indexed as

Virtual RealityHumansMental DisordersVirtual Reality Exposure TherapyAssessmentmental healththeorytreatmentvirtual reality (VR)

Identifiers

PMID28325167
PMCPMC5964457
OpenAlexW2598210266

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

and 3 more above

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.