Fitzpatrick, Siobhán;
(2024)
Enhancing self-compassion through virtual reality: exploring the impact of personalisation and body satisfaction.
Doctoral thesis (D.Clin.Psy), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
This thesis broadly explores the therapeutic use of virtual reality (VR). It is presented in three main parts. Part 1: Systematic Review Introduction An introduction to the therapeutic use of virtual reality, in the form of a systematic review. This review sought to examine how VR interventions are improving mental health in neurorehabilitation and compare factors within the intervention that contribute to positive mental health outcomes. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using pre-determined criteria to identify relevant studies. Findings identified significant heterogeneity in the methods of applying VR in neurorehabilitation. Despite this variation, the findings demonstrate that it can be effectively applied in diverse settings, patient groups, and intervention types. Part 2: Empirical Paper A study exploring the impact of avatar personalisation in an immersive virtual reality intervention to promote self-compassion. This research builds on existing evidence highlighting the benefits of an IVR self-compassion intervention, and other research demonstrating the benefits of personalisation in enhancing core features of VR experience, such as body-ownership, sense of presence, and agency. Personalising avatars significantly improved self-criticism, and self-compassion was improved when non-personalised avatars were used. Personalisation did not significantly improve core VR experience features, and the relationship between body satisfaction, avatar personalisation, and self-compassion is more complex than initially anticipated. Part 3: Critical Appraisal A reflection and appraisal on the motivations that sparked the research question, and the challenges encountered during the empirical study's methodology, particularly in avatar personalisation and participant recruitment. Furthermore, it shares key moments and observations experienced from the research journey.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | D.Clin.Psy |
| Title: | Enhancing self-compassion through virtual reality: exploring the impact of personalisation and body satisfaction |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2024. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10196926 |
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