Measuring progress in VR therapy

The question

This one's about evidence. How do we know VR therapy is working for this client? This is Virtual Reality Therapy Explained, at virtualrealitytherapy.info.

Meet the measuring progress in VR therapy

Because a VR session is software, everything can be logged: where the person went, what they looked at, what they chose and how their body responded. Reporting turns that into a clear record for the therapist, alongside their own clinical judgement.

How it runs

Here's the shape of a session. First, decide the outcomes up front: distress, approach, avoidance, physiology. Next, log every session the same way. Then, review a short report before the next session. Finally, share appropriate summaries with the client to support motivation.

Strengths and limits

What makes it worth trying? Objective, repeatable records. Useful when sessions are done remotely or with less one-to-one time. And what should we be careful about? Data need careful privacy handling. Numbers support, but never replace, the clinician's view.

What to measure

Now, the measurements. Choice logs: which levels the client chose to face. Gaze and position: avoidance and approach. Trends across sessions: progress over a course of 8 or 24 sessions. A course report shows avoidance glances dropping session by session. The client says they feel braver; the data agree.

The takeaway

Something to hold on to: gaze and position and its neighbours tell you how the task was done, not just how fast. You'll find the full script and sources on this page. And remember, this is information, not medical advice.