Embodying compassion: A virtual reality paradigm for overcoming excessive self-criticism
Journal article
Authors | Falconer, Caroline J., Slater, Mel, Rovira, Aitor, King, John A., Gilbert, Paul, Antley, Angus and Brewin, Chris R. |
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Abstract | Virtual reality has been successfully used to study and treat psychological disorders such as phobias and posttraumatic stress disorder but has rarely been applied to clinically-relevant emotions other than fear and anxiety. Self-criticism is a ubiquitous feature of psychopathology and can be treated by increasing levels of self-compassion. We exploited the known effects of identification with a virtual body to arrange for healthy female volunteers high in self-criticism to experience self-compassion from an embodied first-person perspective within immersive virtual reality. Whereas observation and practice of compassionate responses reduced self-criticism, the additional experience of embodiment also increased self-compassion and feelings of being safe. The results suggest potential new uses for immersive virtual reality in a range of clinical conditions. |
Keywords | Virtual Reality; Post traumatic stress; Phobia; Fear |
Year | 2014 |
Journal | PLos ONE |
Publisher | PLOS |
ISSN | 19326203 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0111933 |
Web address (URL) | http://hdl.handle.net/10545/621746 |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | |
hdl:10545/621746 | |
Publication dates | 12 Nov 2014 |
Publication process dates | |
Deposited | 14 Jul 2017, 15:50 |
Rights | Archived with thanks to PLoS ONE |
Contributors | University College London, University of Barcelona and University of Derby |
File | File Access Level Open |
File | File Access Level Open |
File | File Access Level Open |
https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/94869/embodying-compassion-a-virtual-reality-paradigm-for-overcoming-excessive-self-criticism
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