Buxeraud Léna, Déan Laura & Lebon Lisa
As child psychology professionals, we must deal with the growth of technologies that surround us and especially increasingly surround children and adolescents. In order for these emerging technologies to positively affect our profession, these new technologies can be confronted with innovative therapeutic work projects.
We will focus on virtual reality headsets. “L’effet Papillon”, French social and solidarity company, has developed a relaxation tool dedicated to psychotherapists, which reduces stress and anxiety through an oneiric world and 3D music.
According to the founder of this application, “virtual reality has been scientifically validated for more than ten years to reduce pain and anxiety”. Indeed, this device has already been proved worthy. These mental therapy tools consist in practicing exercises using images projected on virtual reality glasses, which enable an immersion in the situation that can be feared by the patient.
Thanks to the development of digital technologies, it is now possible to use virtual reality therapy to treat mental disorders. This kind of therapy is mainly recommended for the treatment of anxiety disorders, but can also be used for post-traumatic stress. This therapy refers to the CBT method (behavioural and cognitive therapy) and these methods are very successful nowadays. The difference between the virtual approach and the classic CBT method is that virtual therapy does not refer directly to reality, it is less brutal. There’s also an advantage concerning time and money: a visual therapy session usually requires between 30 and 40 minutes, and each session is included in the third-party payment system and so is fully reimbursed. The first step is to identify, with the child, what is the exact issue, like the level of anxiety.
We take time to understand the disorder better and suggest relaxation techniques before getting into the virtual reality. Then, thanks to the virtual reality headset, the patient is gradually exposed to their fears. As an example, children who are anxious could be immersed, through virtual reality, in situations that they consider as anxiety-provoking. Indeed, this visual therapy can relieve children who have suffered trauma.
Key words :
CBT method = méthode TCC
Virtual reality headsets = masque de réalité virtuelle
Mental therapy tools = outils de thérapie mentale
Fears = peurs