This review addresses the use of virtual reality technologies in the psychophysiology and psychotherapy of stress. Studies using virtual reality both to introduce subjects into a state of stress and to help reduce stress reactions are reviewed. Methods developed for treating patients suffering from stress-related disorders (in particular, PTSD and phobias) are described. In many cases, reductions in stress reactions with the help of virtual reality systems are achieved not only at the self-report (experiential) level, but also at the level of central and peripheral nervous system measures. This allows virtual reality to be regarded as a modern, inexpensive, and effective method, firstly, for introducing subjects into a state of stress with the aim of testing various hypotheses in psychophysiology and, secondly, to reduce stress reactions.
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Translated from Zhurnal Vysshei Nervnoi Deyatel’nosti imeni I. P. Pavlova, Vol. 72, No. 4, pp. 487–503, July–August, 2022.
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Kosonogov, V.V., Efimov, K.V., Rakhmankulova, Z.K. et al. Review of Psychophysiological and Psychotherapeutic Studies of Stress Using Virtual Reality Technologies. Neurosci Behav Physi 53, 81–91 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-023-01393-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-023-01393-w