Feasibility, Appropriateness, and Willingness to Use Virtual Reality as an Adjunct to Counseling among Addictions Counselors

• Published in: Substance use & misuse 2022, Vol.57 (9), p.1470-1477
• Main Authors: Wray, Tyler B., Emery, Noah N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictions; Alcohol; Clients; clinician; Counseling; counselor; Counselors; Drug addiction; Drug use; Drugs; Email; Feasibility; Feasibility Studies; Humans; Mailing lists; Medical treatment; Mental health; mHealth; Professional associations; Psychotherapists; Psychotherapy; Social media; Social networks; Substance abuse treatment; Substance use disorder; Substance-Related Disorders - therapy; Virtual Reality
• ISSN: 1082-6084; 1532-2491
• DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2022.2092148

Research suggests that virtual reality (VR) experiences can be helpful as adjunctive tools in psychotherapy for some mental health conditions. VR is a computer-generated experience that produces a feeling of being immersed in a different environment. VR experiences could be useful in the treatment of substance use disorders, and several are currently being tested. However, few psychotherapists report using VR experiences in their practices, even when doing so is well-supported. Understanding key barriers and concerns about using VR among drug/alcohol counselors is important to ultimately encouraging adoption. Licensed counselors (N = 101) who provide treatment to clients with substance use disorders were recruited via email Listservs, professional organizations, and social media. Participants viewed a 15-minute educational video about VR and then completed a survey of their views about using it with their clients. Most clinicians (82%) believed they would be likely to use a VR experience in drug/alcohol counseling, and 81% believed it would be appropriate for most of their clients. A minority (19%) noted important concerns, including that their clients may be skeptical of it (15%), cost (14%), and space (10%). Those who had cost and space concerns were less likely to report high use intentions (OR = 0.29 and OR = 031, both p < .05, respectively). Findings suggest that addictions counselors are eager to use VR, but key barriers should be addressed. VR developers should incorporate features to encourage trust among users, design experiences for small spaces, and explore ways of supporting the purchase of VR systems for counselors.