Anticipation and prevention of real risks of virtual environments in psychiatry

Journal article : Review

Extended reality (=XR) provides promising opportunities for psychiatry in the future. However, psychiatric patients appear to be particularly vulnerable to virtual exposure. With a focus on virtual embodiment and virtual social interaction, we therefore, 1. describe the specific risks of virtual exposures, 2. discuss them in relation to specific psychopathological symptoms and 3. outline initial strategies that enable safe exposure with a strong emphasis on participatory designs.

Authors: Marloth, M; Deane-Drummond, C; Kellmeyer, P; Latoschik, ME; Chandler, JA

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Journal: npj Digital Medicine
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 1
• Article number: 164
• Publication date: 2026-01-30
• Acceptance date: 2026-01-07
• DOI: 10.1038/s41746-026-02348-4
• EISSN: 2398-6352
• ISSN: 2398-6352
• Language: English
• Keywords: Anticipation (artificial intelligence); Psychopathology; Virtual reality; Focus (optics); Relation (database); Virtual machine; Citizen journalism
• Subtype: Review