Testing the Effects of a Virtual Reality Game for Aggressive Impulse Management: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial among Forensic Psychiatric Outpatients

Prior laboratory experiments among healthy samples found that training avoidance movements to angry faces may lower anger and aggression, especially people high in trait anger. To enrich this training and make it more suitable for clinical applications, the present researchers developed it into a Vi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain sciences 2021-11, Vol.11 (11), p.1484
Main Authors: Smeijers, Danique, Bulten, Erik H., Verkes, Robbert-Jan, Koole, Sander L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aggression
Aggressive behavior
Aggressiveness
Anger
Behavior
Clinical trials
Computer applications
Emotions
Experiments
Forensic psychiatry
Forensic science
Games
Intervention
Motivation
motivational modification
Physiology
Virtual reality
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Summary:Prior laboratory experiments among healthy samples found that training avoidance movements to angry faces may lower anger and aggression, especially people high in trait anger. To enrich this training and make it more suitable for clinical applications, the present researchers developed it into a Virtual Reality Game for Aggressive Impulse Management (VR-GAIME). The current study examined the effects of this training in a randomized controlled trial among forensic psychiatric outpatients with aggression regulation problems (N = 30). In addition to the aggression replacement training, patients played either the VR-GAIME or a control game. Aggressive behavior was measured pre-, half-way, and post-treatment via self-report and clinicians ratings. No difference was found between the VR-GAIME and the control game. However, the participants reported gaining more insight into their own behavior and that of others. Future VR intervention tools in clinical settings may capitalize more on their benefits for self-reflection within interpersonal settings.
ISSN:2076-3425
2076-3425
DOI:10.3390/brainsci11111484