JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) interventions are being developed and trialled for use in the treatment of eating disorders. However, little work has explored the opinions of people with eating disorders, or the clinicians who treat them, on the possible use of VR in this context.

Objective:

To use qualitative methodology to explore the views of people with eating disorders, and clinicians who treat them, on the possible use of VR in the treatment of eating disorders.

Methods:

We conducted a series of focus groups and interviews with people with lived experience of eating disorders and clinicians on their views about VR and how it could potentially be used in eating disorders treatment. We took a thematic approach to analysing the resulting qualitative data.

Results:

We conducted focus groups with ten individuals with a current or previous eating disorder, and individual interviews with four clinicians experienced in treating people with eating disorders. We describe themes around representing the body in VR, potential therapeutic uses for VR, the strengths and limitations of VR in this context and the practicalities of delivering VR therapy. Suggested therapeutic uses included: to practice challenging situations around food-related and weight/appearance related scenarios and interactions, to retrain attention, the representation of the body, to represent the eating disorder, for psychoeducation and to enable therapeutic conversations with oneself. There was substantial agreement between the groups on these themes.

Conclusions:

Participants in both groups were generally enthusiastic about the potential use of VR in treating eating disorders and generated many ideas as to how it could be used. They were also aware of potential limitations, and expressed the need for caution around how bodies are represented in a VR setting. Clinical Trial: NA