Behavioural Intervention Technologies: Reality or Virtual Reality?

BITs have the potential to reach people who cannot otherwise access mental health care. And they include virtual reality, social networking and yes, gaming.

A 2010 evidence review of BITs, on which this blog post is based, revealed that, ‘in urban areas, 75%…of patients…can identify one or more…barriers that…interfere with access to behavioral treatment’ and that these rates are far higher in rural areas.

There is certainly a need for an alternative approach.

BITs can be broken down into six mediums of intervention. There are pros and cons to each.

1. Videoconferencing, telephone and instant messaging
   Delivering telehealth psychology via videoconferencing, telephone and instant messaging is one way of overcoming barriers such as transport or absence of local services. While there are limitations, like the removal of immediate presence, visual cues or tone of voice, many studies have found that psychological care delivered by over the phone can be as effective as face-to-face treatment.

2. Web-based intervention
   The efficacy of web-based therapies has been demonstrated for several mental health conditions. They may include interactive tools and ‘pull’ technologies, but despite this, one key limitation has been that patients don’t always stick to this form of intervention.

3. Mobile technologies
   Like with many other things in our lives, if we can access something immediately, we are more likely to engage with it. So psychotherapy delivered via mobile technologies could provide real-time interaction between therapist and patient. While research is still developing, this, perhaps, has the greatest potential to be successfully woven into the reality of our day-to-day lives.

4. Social media
   Support via social media is primarily in the form of internet support groups (ISGs). While these have been found to be useful as a source of information and support, some results have been less positive.

5. Virtual reality and conversational agents
   It is possible that online therapy via simulation may be effective for some mental health disorders. However, the real limitation here, is cost. While virtual humans have the potential to provide support, the medium has not yet been widely implemented and requires further evaluation.

6. Gaming
   Video games can be highly engaging and, when they are used appropriately, hold a host of possibilities in terms of successful behavior change. Early investigations suggest that the interactive element of gaming could teach behavior change principles as well as motivate uptake.