ArticleBMC health services research2024
Clinicians' perspectives of immersive tools in clinical mental health settings: a systematic scoping review.
Article in BMC health services research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Evaluating virtual reality technology in psychotherapy: impacts on anxiety, depression, and ADHD.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- Health Care Workers' Perspectives on Virtual Reality in Mental Health: Qualitative Interview Study.JMIR human factors · 2026Article
- Are virtual reality (VR) interventions for substance use disorders designed for implementation? A rapid review of platform characteristics and clinical fit.Research square · 2026Article
- Immersive Technologies in Forensic Mental Health and Prison Settings: Scoping Review.JMIR mental health · 2026Article
- Soma Design for Digital Mental Health and Well-Being Interventions: Scoping Review.JMIR human factors · 2026Article
- Digital and Immersive Technologies for Rehabilitation in Complex Psychosis: State of the Art and Future Directions.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Review
- Immersive competence as a source of bias in virtual reality clinical assessment.NPJ digital medicine · 2026Article
- Immersive metaverse art as a psychological intervention for depression and anxiety: a narrative review and multilevel model integrating engagement, cultural identity, and neurocognitive mechanisms.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Review
- Toward clinical integration of generative AI in mental health: personalization, multimodality and inter-entity experience.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Initial Recommendations for Virtual Reality in Mental Health Care from the American Medical Extended Reality Association.Journal of medical extended reality · 2025Article
- Virtual environments as a novel and promising approach in (neuro)diagnosis and (neuro)therapy: a perspective on the example of autism spectrum disorder.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundVirtual Reality in mental health treatment has potential to address a wide spectrum of psychological and neurocognitive disorders. Despite the proven benefits, integration into clinical practice faces significant challenges. There is a critical need for research into clinicians' perceptions of virtual reality due to the gap between rapid technological advancements and their adoption in mental health services.
methodA scoping review was conducted to comprehensively understand clinicians' perspectives on the application of immersive virtual reality technologies within mental health settings. 4 data bases were searched, from inception, with the search areas of clinicians', technology, perspectives and mental health. The scoping review followed the PRISMA-ScR checklist. All results were thematically analysed to identify and categorise themes with a focus on qualitative analyses of clinicians' experiences and perceptions of VR applications in therapeutic contexts.
results17 articles were selected, encompassing a range of mental health settings. The findings indicate that the integration of VR in clinical environments is heavily influenced by clinicians' knowledge and experience, with unfamiliarity often leading to scepticism. Positive attitudes towards VR, bolstered by direct experience and training, were found to drive acceptance, as clinicians' acknowledged its potential to complement traditional therapies. However, there are still gaps in understanding VR's therapeutic applications, particularly concerning its impact on human interaction and its suitability for specific patient groups. Balancing VR's clinical benefits with ethical and safety concerns is crucial, especially when working with vulnerable populations. Furthermore, structural and administrative support is essential to overcoming the financial and logistical challenges of VR implementation, ensuring its safe and effective integration into mental health care.
conclusionWhile VR holds significant potential for enhancing mental health care, its successful integration into clinical practice necessitates addressing existing gaps in knowledge, training, and structural support. By carefully balancing its clinical benefits with ethical, practical, and safety considerations, VR can be effectively utilised as a valuable tool in mental health treatment, providing innovative solutions while ensuring that patient care remains paramount.
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Registered trials
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.