What if you could see yourself with my eyes? A Pilot Study of the Impact of a Virtual Reality-environment on Relational Responding to Self

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Volume 23 Num. 1

Volume 23 Num. 1 - March 2023

What if you could see yourself with my eyes? A Pilot Study of the Impact of a Virtual Reality-environment on Relational Responding to Sel

Volume 23 Num. 1 - March 2023 - Pages 31-41

Authors:

Sairanen, Essi , Wallsten, Daniel , Barnes-Holmes, Dermot , Tillfors, Maria

essi.sairanen@kau.se

Abstract:

Volume 23, 1, 2023. To be published March 1st, 2023
THIS PAPER WILL BE AVAILABLE IN OPEN ACCESS on March 1st, 2023

People’s sense of self plays an important role in psychological wellbeing and it is often targeted by perspective taking interventions in psychological treatments. The present study investigated if seeing oneself from the outside perspective in a virtual reality (VR) environment could be used to influence the patterns of relational responding that constitutes the sense of self. Changes in participants’ (N= 9) patterns of relating themselves vs. others with positive attributes and negative attributes were investigated using an Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) that was delivered before and after the one session perspective-taking intervention in VR. In addition, participants’ self-ratings about their experience of the VR intervention were investigated immediately after and one month after the VR-intervention. The results showed changes specifically in seeing oneself more positively, reflected by the increase in the Me – positive trial type in the IRAP. No systematic changes were seen in participants’ relational responding to themselves as being “negative” (i.e. bad, unloved, incompetent) or in patterns of relational responding considering others. In addition, participants experienced moderate positive emotions during the VR-intervention and evaluated the experience as meaningful based on their self-ratings. Together these results suggest that seeing oneself in the VR promoted positive experiences relating to oneself.

How to cite this paper: Sairanen E, Wallsten D, Barnes-Holmes D, & Tillfors M (2023). What if you could see yourself with my eyes? A Pilot Study of the Impact of a Virtual Reality-environment on Relational Responding to Self. International Journal of Psychology & Psychological Therapy, 23, 1, 31-41

Key words:

virtual reality; sense of self; relational frame theory; implicit relational assessment procedure

Full Article

English (PDF)

International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy

Volume 23 Num. 1 - March 2023