Category: Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation Editorials

2012 Summer Editorial

Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Summer 2012, Volume 5, Issue 2

 

 EDITORIAL

Welcome to the Summer 2012 issue of the Journal of CyberTher- apy & Rehabilitation (JCR). As you know, JCR is one of the two official journals of the International Association of CyberPsychology, Training & Rehabilitation (iACToR). Now in its 17th year, the annual international CyberPsychology & CyberTherapy Conference (CYBER 17) is the official conference of iACToR. The CyberPsychology, Behavior, & Social Networking Journal (CYBER), CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation (C&R) Magazine, and JCR, form to create our Combined Communications Platform. The journals, conference, magazine, and association combine into one powerful platform to address previous information deficits in the utilization of advanced technologies in healthcare which strives to speak with a united voice to inform and educate stakeholders about the uses of technologies in healthcare, as well as how tech- nologies are impacting behavior and society.

This year the Interactive Media Institute, in collaboration with the Virtual Reality Medical Institute, is organizing the International Association of CyberPsychology, Training, & Rehabilitation’s (iACToR) 17th Annual CyberPsychology & CyberTherapy Con- ference (CYBER17), scheduled for September 25-28, 2012 at the European Parlimanet in Brussels.

The Annual CyberPsychology & CyberTherapy Conference began as a symposium that featured presentations dealing mostly with conceptual matters and future possibilities at the Medicine Meets Virtual Reality Conference. CYBER17 has now grown to a full- scale conference with presentations that demonstrate controlled clinical trials with unique applications of cutting edge technologies that improve the access and increase the quality of healthcare.

CYBER17’s focus areas include:
1. The Impact of Technologies as Tools
CYBER17 will continue its examination of the exciting applications of advanced technologies being used in training, therapy, rehabilitation, and education for the improvement of the quality and availability of healthcare for people around the globe.

2. The Influence of New Technologies
CYBER17 will further its investigation into how new technologies are influencing behavior and society through the use of positive technology, healthy ageing and well-being.

3. The Imprint of Social Networking
CYBER17 will embrace, as it did in 2011, the exploration of social networking tools on individual behavior and societal relations.

4. The Introduction of New Technologies and New Terms
CYBER17 will study the psychological aspects of new areas in- fluenced by technology such as cyberfashion, cyberadvertising and cyberstalking.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who are helping to make this year’s conference possible through their tireless energy and drive this year’s Scientific Chairs, Professors Rosa Marie Baños, Willem-Paul Brinkman and Giuseppe Riva; Exhibit Chairs Professors Evangelos Bekiaris and Luciano Gamberini; Workshop Chair Professor Stéphane Bouchard; Cyberarium Chairs Professors Mariano Alcañiz and Andrea Gaggioli; and Website Chair Professor Sun Kim. Many thanks to the Scientific Committee, made up of prominent researchers from around the world, as well as all of the presenters and attendees. Finally, my gratitude to James Cullen, Emily Butcher, Tanisha Croad and Pierre Schifflers for overseeing the Conference Coordination, to Chelsie Boyd for editing related materials, and to the teams at Interactive Media Institute, Virtual Reality Medical Center, and Virtual Realty Medical Institute for their time and contributions to all facets of the conference.

To our sponsors and supporters, who continue to support our vi- sion and help make it a reality, a warm and heartfelt thank you – Brussels Capital Region, Engineering Systems Technologies GmbH & Co. KG, the European Commission, Hanyang Univer- sity, International Association of CyberPsychology, Training, & Rehabilitation (iACToR), Interactive Media Institute (IMI), INTERSTRESS, ISfTeH, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Publishers, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO), the Virtual Reality Medical Center (VRMC), the Virtual Reality Medical Institute (VRMI) and Visit Brussels. As integral parts of our Combined Communications Platform, the CyberPsychology & CyberTher- apy Conference Conference series will continue to work together with iACToR, JCR, and C&R to inform and educate industry, ac- ademia, and government officials and the general public on the explosive growth of advanced technologies for therapy, training, education, prevention and rehabilitation.

As in previous conferences, this year’s conference will be hosting an interactive exhibit area, the Cyberarium, which allows conference attendees and members of the press to try new technologies firsthand. To recognize outstanding achievements by students and new researchers, as well as lifetime achievement for a senior researcher, we will also be hosting awards during the conference and announcing the 2012-2013 iACToR officers during the General Assembly. Pre-conference workshops will focus on advanced topics including Brain Computer Interfaces, VR for cognitive assessment and rehabilitation and finally VR treatment manuals for clinical applications.
As we approach CYBER17 with excitement, we begin too to look toward next year’s conference, CyberPsychology & CyberTherapy 18, to be held in June 2013. Thank you again for your commitment to the evolution of healthcare!

 

 

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., MBA, BCIA

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Virtual Reality Medical Institute

2012 Spring Editorial

Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Spring 2012, Volume 5, Issue 1

 

 AMBIENT ASSISTED LIVING: A CALL TO SPEED RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENTATION

As defined by the European Commission, ambient assisted living (AAL) “refers to intelligent systems of assistance for a better, healthier, and safer life in the preferred living environment and covers concepts, products, and services that interlink and improve new technologies and the social environment. It aims at enhancing the quality of life (the physical, mental, and social well-being) for everyone (with a focus on elder persons) in all stages of their life. AAL can help elder individuals to improve their quality of life, to stay healthier and to live longer, thus extending one’s active and creative participation in the community.” AAL relies on Ambient Intelligence (AmI) to ensure that devices are noninvasive or in- visible, personalized to the user’s needs, adaptive to the user and the environment, and anticipatory of the user’s wishes. Its roots are in assistive technologies for people with disabilities, and in accessibility requirements for interactive technologies (e.g., Section 508 Web site requirements in the U.S.).

The impetus for accelerated AAL research and implementation is our elders, who live longer and can remain in their homes longer with the assistance of technology, thereby preventing costly hospitalizations and nursing home admissions. The number of older people worldwide has tripled in the last 50 years, and will more than triple again in the next 50 years.

A recent literature review categorizes AAL into services that handle adverse conditions, assess health state, consult and educate, motivate and provide feedback, facilitate ordering of service, and promote social inclusion. AAL devices use sensors and actuators in the home environment to, for example, detect falls in elders or spikes in blood sugar of people with diabetes, and fuse data to trigger caregiver alerts. Other systems of interest to our readers include those designed to help people who have mild cognitive impairments with activities of daily living. Most challenging to develop are pattern recognition applications that can, for example, sense an elder’s behavior change and prevent depression by motivating the elder to socialize.

Both Virtual Reality and mixed reality (augmented reality and aug- mented virtuality) environments for AAL have been proposed. For example, in an extension of the current boundaries of telemedicine, the physician could view the whole body of the at-home patient, and the patient could more easily understand(s) he was undergoing a physical examination. At least one paper reports elders’ positive reactions to AAL, so this scenario may not be far in the future.

However, a recent issue of ERCIM News highlighted the fundamental research challenges that remain in AAL and AmI:

  • “Knowledge of user requirements. Age-related factors are crucial, and the current understanding of the interaction requirements of older users in complex technological environments is limited.
  • Ready-to-use accessibility solutions supporting alternative interaction techniques. Most available assistive technologies are limited to specific devices, and cannot be easily made compatible with complex environments including a variety of devices.
  • Architectural frameworks supporting the integration and management accessibility solutions.
  • Tools supporting the development lifecycle of accessible AAL environments (e.g., requirements analysis, design and prototyping, evaluation).”
  • We applaud the clinicians and researchers who are working to solve AAL and AmI research problems, and look forward to the day when smart homes for our elders are the norm.

 

 

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., MBA, BCIA

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Virtual Reality Medical Institute

2011 Winter Editorial

Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Winter 2011, Volume 4, Issue 4

 

How Can we Help preserve Mental Capital?

First, let me define what I mean by the concept of mental wealth or mental capital. The Foresight Project on Mental Health and Well-being says that it “encompasses a person’s cognitive and emotional resources. It includes their cognitive ability, how flexible and efficient they are at learning, and their ‘emotional intelligence,’ such as their social skills and resilience in the face of stress. It therefore conditions how well an individual is able to contribute effectively to society, and also to experience a high personal quality of life.” The study focused on the U.K., but the 20-year trends cited as affecting the mental wealth of that country are relevant to the rest of the EU, the U.S., and other parts of the world. Trends include the aging of the population (increasing dementia), changes in the global economy (rise of China and India, need for more training and work-life balance), the changing nature and expectations of society and public services (balance of responsibility), and new science and technology (equal access to their benefits).

These same themes emerge in the resulting study article, “The mental wealth of nations,” by Beddington et al., which reported on the group’s evaluation of the scientific evidence to produce this independent assessment involving 450 experts from 16 countries. The authors of this paper urged development of initiatives to support early diagnosis and treatment of childhood learning problems, workplace environments that promote mental health and programs that advance learning among elders to slow cognitive decline. They noted, “How a nation develops and uses its mental capital not only has a significant effect on its economic competitiveness and prosperity but is also important for mental health and well- being and social cohesion and inclusion.”

Pointing to a disproportionate share of investment in mental health relative to its disease burden, the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) created the Grand Challenges in Global Mental Health, identifying research priorities for the next 10 years that will make a difference in people’s mental health. These 25 specific challenges are grouped into broad goals that seek to:

  • Identify root causes, risk and protective factors
  • Advance prevention and implementation of early interventions
  • Improve treatments and expand access to care
  • Raise awareness of the global burden
  • Build human resource capacity
  • Transform health-system and policy responses

NIMH lists guiding principles for funding such research:

  • Use a life-course approach to study
  • Use system-wide approaches to address suffering
  • Use evidence-based interventions
  • Understand environmental influences

So how can we, as clinical and research professionals with spe- cialties in, for example, psychology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, or autism, help our clients boost their mental capital?

 

  1.  Improved access to education can help: “The [Foresight] Project has identified a number of technologies … ubiquitous and mobile technologies; artificial intelligence; assessment technologies; and tools to support teachers in designing and exchanging learning activities.” A virtual environment to help children with autism learn to cross the street is one example of how we can use the technolo- gies we espouse for early intervention, the most cost-effective way to prevent mental ill health.
  2.  Although the mechanisms are not yet understood, a growing number of studies show that physical exercise may prevent or mitigate the effects of depression, and a Stanford University study showed that a virtual representation of one’s self gaining or losing weight in proportion to the exercise completed motivated volunteers to complete more exercise.
  3.  While we are just beginning to debate the legal and ethical im- plications of using pharmacological (smart drugs) means of improving mental wealth, use of these drugs in controlled clinical trials and publication of results that show minimal side effects from long-term use will pave the way for their mainstreaming.
  4. Neurocognitive activation via cognitive training is a promising area of investigation, as I reported in my recent article co-authored with Dr. Mark Wiederhold. With the aid of fMRI-safe Virtual Reality goggles, we can study the brain while a patient interacts with a virtual environment, and learn how to tailor treatments to pro- duce the desired activations in that individual’s brain.
  5.  Finally, I would encourage you to continue to advocate for mental health funding by governments. As the Foresight study authors noted, “… a cross-governmental approach is needed to realize the full benefits … Interventions may have long timescales before they see any returns. Implementing these recommendations will require significant changes in the nature of governance, placing mental capital and well-being at the heart of policy-making.”

 

 

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., MBA, BCIA

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Virtual Reality Medical Institute

www.vrphobia.eu

2011 Fall Editorial

Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Fall 2011, Volume 4, Issue 3

 

EDITORIAL

“When you undervalue who you are, the world will under- value what you do and vice versa,” said financial guru Suze Orman. Is this true for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that contribute to the attainment of information and communication technologies (ICT) goals in Europe? Read on, and judge for yourself.

According to UEAPME, the European association repre- senting crafts and SMEs, 99.8% of Europe’s 23 million enterprises are SMEs. The most recent survey of SMEs, ending February 2011, showed that 21% more SMEs showed declining vs. increasing profits. That same survey pointed to causes such as the increased cost of oil and com- modities, resulting in a 69% increase in production inputs, and an improving European economy resulting in a 46% increase in labor costs. Among the most common economic challenges reported by SMEs are finding customers, obtaining financing, and competition. The European Commission (EC), recognizing that SMEs provide 67% of all jobs in Europe, is committed to collecting these data to en- sure that SMEs have access to adequate financing.

Between 2002 and 2008, the SME job engine was churn- ing, increasing by 1.9% annually vs. 0.8% for large com- panies. In 2008, the Small Business Act for Europe (COM[2008] 394 final) was launched, just before the eco- nomic slowdown brought this powerful job creation engine to a temporary halt.

So-called “micro” firms, employing an average of two people, are the mainstay of the European economy. The 2009 EC report found that “For micro enterprises, gross investment in tangible goods amounts to 24% of value added, compared to 19% for all firms … higher than could be expected on the basis of their profitability, underlining their importance for the EU-economy.”

The value of SMEs to the EU is further underscored by the relative dearth of companies with revenue greater than €100 million. A 2008 article on ICT SMEs reported the number of large companies at 2,006 in the EU (for a pop- ulation then numbering 310 million) vs. 3,176 large com- panies in the U.S. (for 291 million people). The EU ICT community has its own association of SMEs formed in 2007, PIN-SME (see http://pin-sme.eu/): It currently rep- resents 50,000 ICT SMEs that provide approximately 200,000 jobs.

Another organization for SMEs, founded in 1996, is SME UNION (see http://sme-union.org/). It is the business organization of the European People’s Party, representing a network of pro-business politicians and political organizations. “Its top priority is to reform the legal framework for SMEs all over Europe and to promote and support the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises which, due to their willingness to take risks and responsibility, are the engine of the European economy, thereby contributing to eradicating unemployment and promoting economic growth in Europe.”

Efforts to promote economic parity made by the EC and organizations such as those mentioned above are essential to the economic security of SMEs. This is evidenced by the fact that although SMEs win 60% of public procurement contracts, the value of such contracts represents only 33% of market share. This EC study reported that the job- creating micro enterprises garnered just a 6% market share. Thus, SMEs are underrepresented by between 14-21% (based on 2006-2008 data) relative to their importance to the EU economy. This is not insubstantial when you consider that public procurement represents 19% of EU GDP.

As UEAPME Secretary General Andrea Benassi said in a recent statement, “The EU is not suffering from a shortage of entrepreneurship in ICT; but it is suffering from a shortage of ICT SMEs that are empowered to grow and innovate at international competitive levels.” As an owner of an EU SME, my future may depend on my willingness to take an activist role to ensure that my company is not undervalued, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

 

 

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., MBA, BCIA

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Virtual Reality Medical Institute

2011 Summer Editorial

Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Summer 2011, Volume 4, Issue 2

 

 EDITORIAL

Welcome to the Summer 2011 issue of the Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation (JCR). As you know, JCR is one of the two official journals of the International Association of CyberPsychology, Training & Rehabilitation (iACToR). Now in its 16th year, the annual international CyberPsychology & CyberTherapy Conference (CT16) agreed, in 2009, to become the official conference of iACToR. So, along with CyberPsychology, Behavior, & Social Networking Journal (CYBER), CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation (C&R) Magazine, and JCR, we celebrate our Combined Communications Platform. The journals, conference, magazine, and association combine into one powerful platform to address previous information deficits in the utilization of advanced technologies in healthcare. We will strive to speak with a united voice to inform and educate stakeholders about the uses of technologies in healthcare, as well as how technologies are impacting behavior and society.

This year we are proud to be holding CT in Canada. Organized by the Interactive Media Institute (IMI), a 501c3 nonprofit organization, in cooperation with Université du Québec en Outoauais (UQO), CT16 is being held June 19-22, 2011 in Gatineau, Canada. This venue speaks to the continued growth and collaboration, not just amongst Europe and the U.S., but also amongst researchers and scholars worldwide. This year’s conference theme is two-fold: First, CT16 will explore technologies as enabling tools. This will include the uses of advanced technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) simulations, videogames, telehealth, video-conferencing, the Internet, robotics, brain computer interfaces, wearable computing, non-invasive physiological monitoring devices, in diagnosis, assessment, and prevention of mental and physical disorders. In addition, we will look at interactive media in training, education, rehabilitation, and therapeutic interventions. Second, CT16 will explore the impact of new technologies. CT16 will investigate how new technologies are influencing behavior and society, for example, through healthy ageing initiatives, positive and negative effects of social network- ing tools, and online gaming.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who are helping to make this year’s conference possible through their tireless energy and drive the Co-Organizer and Conference Co-Chair Professor Stéphane Bouchard; this year’s Scientific Chairs, Professors Paul Emmelkamp, Wijnand Ijsselsteijn and Giuseppe Riva; Exhibit Chair Professor Sun Kim; Workshop Chair Pro- fessor Heidi Sveistrup; Cyberarium Chair Geneviève Robillard; and Website Chair Professor Andrea Gaggioli. Many thanks also to the Scientific Committee, made up of prominent researchers from around the world, and the Local Advisory Committee in Gatineau, as well as all of the presenters and attendees. Finally, my gratitude to Geneviève Robillard, Emily Butcher and Jocel Rivera for overseeing the Conference Coordination, to Christina Valenti for editing related materials, and to the teams at Université du Québec en Outaouais, Interactive Media Institute, Virtual Reality Medical Center, and Virtual Realty Medical Institute for their time and contributions to all facets of the conference.

To our sponsors, who continue to support our vision and help make it a reality, a warm and heartfelt thank you – 3dVia, Assemblée Nationale du Québec, Canada Research Chair in Clinical Cyberpsychology, Casino LacLeamy, the European Commission Information Society and Media, Gouvernement du Québec, Interactive Media Institute (IMI), International Association of Cy- berPsychology, Training & Rehabilitation (iACToR), INTERSTRESS, In Virtuo, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Publishers, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO), Ville de Gatineau, the Virtual Reality Medical Center (VRMC), the Virtual Reality Medical Institute (VRMI) and WorldViz.

As integral parts of our Combined Communications Platform, the CT Conference series will continue to work together with iACToR, JCR, and C&R to inform and educate industry, academia, and government officials and the general public on the explosive growth of advanced technologies for therapy, training, education, prevention and rehabilitation.

As in previous conferences, this year’s conference will be hosting an interactive exhibit area, the Cyberarium, which allows conference attendees and members of the press to try new technologies firsthand. To recognize outstanding achievements by students and new researchers, as well as lifetime achievement for a senior researcher, we will also be hosting awards during the conference and announcing the 2011-2012 iACToR officers during the General Assembly. Pre-conference workshops will focus on advanced topics including psychotherapeutic applications, brain computer interface devices, and rehabilitation, and there will also be an introduction to VR workshop for those newer to the area.

As we approach CT16 with excitement, we begin too to look toward next year’s conference, CyberPsychology & CyberTherapy 17, to be held in Brussels, Belgium September 12-15, 2012. Thank you again for your commit- ment to the evolution of healthcare!

 

 

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., MBA, BCIA

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Virtual Reality Medical Institute

2011 Spring Editorial

Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Spring 2011, Volume 4, Issue 1

 

EDITORIAL

There is an emerging body of literature about the proliferation of social networking sites (SNS) and their effects on mental health. To date, much of it has focused on investigating the possible negative effects of SNS, such as Internet addiction. However, research also supports the benefits of SNS in mental health, addictions, stigmatized identities, trauma and violence recovery, and grief support. As clinicians and researchers, we are just beginning to harness the power of SNS to promote mental well- being.

Participation in SNS has increased dramatically over the past five years. A 2010 Pew report showed that 73% of online teens and 47% of online adults in the U.S. used SNS. Another survey conducted by Pew in April–May 2010 noted that Poland, Britain, and South Korea are close behind the U.S. in SNS usage, followed by France, Spain, Russia, and Brazil. Lower participation in other countries is due primarily to less-wired populations. No table exceptions are Germany and Japan, where Internet usage is high but SNS usage is low.

The European Union has been investing in e-Health since 2004, when outgoing Public Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne said, “We need a … Europe where people have easy access to clear and reliable information on how to be in good health and about diseases and treatment options.” An outgrowth of the European Parliament hearing at which he testified was the creation of the ICT (information and communication technologies) for Health, enabling health service providers in different EU member states to work together to exploit these technologies. More recently, the First International E-Mental Health Summit in Amsterdam in 2009 organized by the Trimbos Institute in collaboration with the International Society for Research on Internet Interventions attracted 500 participants from more than 40 countries. In the U.S., the new healthcare reform law provides financial incentives for providers to use health information technology and electronic health records, and in March 2011 leaders in healthcare technology will share their innovations in San Diego and San Francisco, California for the Health 2.0 conference.

In one such innovation, a researcher used a GPS-enabled phone and a location-aware SNS to design a system to help trainees with cognitive impairment who felt lost to find a nearby caregiver. These individuals were enrolled in a supported employment program that provided them with a job coach to help them get to and from work for the first few weeks. The system was programmed to send text messages to the job coach and time and location alarms to help the trainee get to work on time. This type of SNS could enable parents, guardians, and caregivers to watch loved ones unobtrusively.

A recent study of 217 college-age participants in South Korea found that SNS network size was positively related to subjective well-being, and the results suggest that this is due to self-disclosure. In the SNS context, it is postulated that the positive association with well-being results from the self-disclosure “confession effect,” the expectation of mutual self-disclosure, and the expectation of social support.

A case study report found that deploying the Three Good Things positive psychology exercise as a Facebook ap- plication was viable, with a 1% dropout rate, which is similar to or better than other online wellness applications. In the exercise, people post three good things that happened, along with the reasons they think they happened. People found that sharing with others and viewing other’s posts were valuable, as long as they were able to choose which comments they made were public and which were private.

Specialized health SNS such as PatientsLikeMe and DailyStrength offer emotional support, social support, and
patient empowerment; some also offer physician Q&A, quantified self-tracking, and clinical trials access. PatientsLikeMe includes support for mental disorders such as anxiety, bipolar affective disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; DailyStrength provides support for an even broader array of mental health issues. In an online SNS, inhibitions may be lowered, anxiety may be lessened, and anonymity may be increased. This presents the ideal 24/7 support for treatment of people with disorders such as depression. Indeed, the Pew report showed that teens look online for health information about issues they find are embarrassing to talk about such as drugs, sex, and depression.

Of course, there are cautions. One study found that people with depression who used an online SNS spiraled down if they had friends who were moderately or severely depressed and had a negative opinion of the SNS. The researchers concluded that the SNS could be helpful if people take a break from it if their posts elicit these reactions.

A position paper on pervasive healthcare concludes that “[provided-designed systems and services] should include help for people to access peer-to-peer social support sharing and caring in order to encourage sustained engagement with self management to build positive healthy identities for themselves.” Online health consumers are beginning to rely on “patient opinion leaders” for advice on chronic conditions such as mental disorders, and we need to be there with them. Of course, we must be mindful of issues such as privacy and data accuracy as we create tools to help SNS participants balance their needs to share information with their needs to manage self-presentation. Nonetheless, as clinicians and researchers, we should take advantage of SNS to extend the practice of evidence based medicine and mental health.

 

 

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., MBA, BCIA

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Virtual Reality Medical Institute

2010 Winter Editorial

Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Winter 2010, Volume 3, Issue 4

 

  EDITORIAL

Let me take this opportunity to welcome readers to the Winter 2010 issue of the Journal of CyberTherapy & Re- habilitation (JCR). Our peer-reviewed academic journal continues to promote and explore advanced technologies for therapy, training, education, prevention and rehabil- itation. With the end of 2010 drawing to a close, we take this time to reflect on the advancement and recognition JCR has received. We have seen our exposure grow, partly as a result of newly acquired indexing with Scopus and Embase, Cabell’s, Gale, EBSCO and PsycINFO. JCR continues to reach an ever-expanding number of readers around the globe, both as subscribers and at var- ious academic conferences.

In the first article of this issue, Cho and Lee describe the creation and implementation of a virtual optokinetic stimulation program to treat pseudoneglect in healthy individuals. Results and whether the program might be applicable in a clinical setting are addressed as well.

In the second paper, Valtchanov and Ellard explore physiological and affective responses to immersion in Virtual Reality (VR) to determine which environments, natural versus urban, have the most soothing effects on stress.

Next, Lister, Piercey, and Joordens discuss the effective- ness of VR to treat fear of public speaking and expound on future areas of application.

The following paper by Kündiger et al. addresses an online counseling system to treat eating disorders, and how it can complement more traditional methods of treatment and therapy. Level of acceptance for patients is discussed and ways in which to make the program more effective and user-friendly.

An interesting study by Wiederhold, Gavshon, and Wiederhold explores the combination of psychodynamic psychotherapy and VR. Often VR is used in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy, but its use with other types of therapy have found success as well.

A final paper by Santos-Ruiz et al. explores whether the Trier Social Stress Test can be integrated with VR environments to effectively measure levels of stress and anx- iety.

I would like to send a sincere thanks to contributing au- thors for their inspiring work and dedication to this field of research. I also want to thank JCR’s Associate Editors – Professors Botella, Bouchard, Gamberini and Riva for their continued leadership and hard work, as well as or internationally renowned Editorial Board for their contributions. Our board continues to grow, representing diverse disciplines, countries, and areas of expertise.

We continue to strive to provide readers with engaging, informative material, as well as extra supplements, including the newly added continuing education quizzes and book reviews. As always, we welcome your input and suggestions on ways to strengthen JCR’s scientific rigor and visibility. As well as input and recommendations, we welcome new submissions from scholars, researchers, and academics, instructions for which can be found in the back of the journal.

We look forward to providing our readers with cutting-edge studies and information in the upcoming year, and thank you for your continued support.

 

 

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., MBA, BCIA

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Virtual Reality Medical Institute

2010 Fall Editorial

Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Fall 2010, Volume 3, Issue 3

 

 EDITORIAL

We are pleased to bring the Fall 2010 issue of the Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation (JCR) to our expand- ing audience around the world. Our quarterly published peer-reviewed academic journal explores the uses of ad- vanced technologies for therapy, training, education, prevention and rehabilitation. JCR continues to actively focus on the rapidly expanding worldwide trend of applying groundbreaking technology towards the field of healthcare.

To educate our readers on new advancements in fields such as robotics, adaptive displays, E-health, virtual re- ality (VR) and non-invasive physiological monitoring as they are applied to diverse disciplines in healthcare, we present comprehensive articles submitted by preeminent scholars in the field. This issue includes topics such as the creation of a virtual aquatic world to aid in education and using night vision during operations to possibly allow greater VR immersion for patients while in surgery.

In the first article of this issue, Wrzesien presents a pilot evaluation of a virtual interactive learning system aiming to teach children about the Mediterranean Sea and relevant ecological issues. The author also considers ways to improve the software after receiving preliminary feed- back.

Next, King, Delfabbro and Griffiths show the reader how cognitive-behavioral therapy might be employed to treat addicts of video games and discuss preliminary treatment techniques for such an addiction.

Thirdly, Rodrigues, Sauzéon, Wallet and N’Kaoua present a study comparing subjects’ spatial performance on a pedestrian route based on the type of learning environment, real or virtual, the exploration mode used during the learning phase and the type of spatial test administered at retrieval. Through this study the authors hope to further

In the fourth article Cowan et al. discuss a serious game for the purpose of teaching orthopedic surgery residents a total knee arthroplasty procedure using a problem based learning approach. The study assessed user per- ceptions of the game’s ease of use and potential for learning and engagement.

In the following article, Stadie et al. examine the differences in efficacy of reconstructing a 3-D arrangement of objects presented as a real model, a magnetic resonance image (MRI) or a VR model. The findings were then ap- plied to real life scenarios aiming to optimize the visual basis for anatomy training and surgery planning.

In the sixth article, Mosso et al. present results of surgeries performed on rabbits using night vision goggles and list ways in which this could benefit patients in the future, such as allowing for greater immersion and distrac- tion during operations using VR in a dark room.

Lastly, Tse and Ho address the management of chronic pain in the elderly population, focusing on a non-pharmacological method known as multisensory stimulation therapy.

While continuing to provide our readers with the latest scholarly studies presented in an informative and engag- ing medium, we will continue to offer the newly added Continuing Education quiz (see page 337 for more details) each issue. In addition, we will now be bringing the readers book reviews, the first of which appears in this issue on page 334, discussing “Interface Fantasy: A Lacanian Cyborg Ontology” by André Nusselder.

Although JCR has been receiving international attention from peers, international institutions and international conferences for some time, we are excited to inform readers that JCR is also continuing to become more widely known and recognized by the scientific commu- nity, as evidenced by the fact that it is now indexed with PsycINFO, Elsevier, Cabell’s, Gale and EBSCO. This recognition will further our cause to inform the wider community about ways in which healthcare can benefit from the applications of advanced technologies.

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the contributing authors for their inspiring work and ded- ication to this field of research. I also want to as always thank JCR’s Associate Editors – Professors Botella, Bouchard, Gamberini and Riva for their leadership and hard work, as well as or internationally renowned Edi- torial Board for their contributions. Thank you also to our outside reviewers for taking the time to ensure the rigorous nature of the articles.

As always, we welcome your submissions, comments, and thoughts on innovation.

Lastly, I would like to recognize what a huge success our 15th CyberPsychology & CyberTherapy Conference, held in Seoul, Korea in June, was. As you know, JCR is one of the two official journals of the International Association of CyberPsychology, Training & Rehabilitation (iACToR). The annual international conference series agreed, in 2009, to become the official conference of iACToR. So, along with CyberPsychology, Behavior, & Social Networking Journal (CPB&SN), CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation (C&R) Magazine, and JCR, we cele- brate our Combined Communications Platform. We are very excited for next year’s conference to be held June 20-22 in Gatineau, Canada.

We look forward to the future growth of our cause and thank you, our readers and subscribers, for your continued support.

 

 

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., MBA, BCIA

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Virtual Reality Medical Institute

2010 Summer Editorial

Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Summer 2010, Volume 3, Issue 2

 

 EDITORIAL

Welcome to the Summer 2010 issue of the Journal of Cy- berTherapy & Rehabilitation (JCR). As you know, JCR is one of the two official journals of the International As- sociation of CyberPsychology, Training & Rehabilitation (iACToR). Now in its 15th year, the annual international CyberPsychology & CyberTherapy Conference (CT15) agreed, in 2009, to become the official conference of iACToR. So, along with CyberPsychology, Behavior, & Social Networking Journal (CPB&SN), CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation (C&R) Magazine, and JCR, we cele- brate our Combined Communications Platform. The journals, conference, magazine, and association combine into one powerful platform to address previous informa- tion deficits in the utilization of advanced technologies in healthcare. We will strive to speak with a united voice to inform and educate about the uses of technologies in healthcare, as well as how technologies are impacting behavior and society.

This year we are proud to be holding CT in Asia for the first time. Organized by the Interactive Media Institute (IMI), a 501c3 nonprofit organization, in cooperation with Hanyang University, CT15 is being held June 13- 15, 2010 in Seoul, Korea. This venue speaks to the con- tinued growth and collaboration, not just amongst Europe and America, but also amongst researchers and scholars worldwide. This year’s conference theme is two fold: First, CT15 will explore technologies as enabling tools. This will include the uses of advanced technolo- gies such as virtual reality simulations, videogames, tele- health, video-conferencing, the internet, robotics, brain computer interfaces, wearable computing, non-invasive physiological monitoring devices, in diagnosis, assess- ment, and prevention of mental and physical disorders. In addition, we will look at interactive media in training, education, rehabilitation, and therapeutic interventions. Second, CT15 will explore the impact of new technolo- gies. CT15 will investigate how new technologies are in- fluencing behavior and society through cyberadvertising, cyberfashion, and cyberstalking, to name a few.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who are helping to make this year’s conference possible
through their tireless energy and drive – the Co-Orga- nizer and Conference Co-Chair Professor Sun Kim; this year’s Scientific Chairs, Professors Stéphane Bouchard, José Gutiérrez Maldonado and Giuseppe Riva; Tutorial Chairs, Professor Luciano Gamberini and Alessandra Gorini; Exhibit Chair and Conference Organizer, Profes- sor Jang-Han Lee; Cyberarium Chair Professor Hunter Hoffman; and Technical Chairs Professors Mariano Al- cañiz and Evangelos Bekiaris. Many thanks also to the Scientific Committee, made up of prominent researchers from around the world, and the Local Advisory Commit- tee in Seoul, as well as all of the presenters and attendees. Finally, my gratitude to James Cullen and Jang-Han Lee for overseeing the Conference Coordination, and to the teams at Hanyang University, Interactive Media Institute, Virtual Reality Medical Center, and Virtual Realty Med- ical Institute for their time and contributions to all facets of the conference.

To our sponsors, who continue to support our vision and help make it a reality, a warm and heartfelt thank you – Bionet, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency/ Defense Science Office (DARPA/DSO), the European Commission, DGINFSO, Hanyang University, Institute of Aging Society Silver & u-Health Research Center, the Interactive Media Institute, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Publishers, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, OsteoSys, Université du Québec en Outaouais, the Virtual Reality Medical Center, and the Virtual Reality Medical Insti- tute.

As integral parts of our Combined Communications Plat- form, the CT Conference series will continue to work to- gether with iACToR, JCR, and C&R to educate industry, academia, and government officials on the explosive growth of advanced technologies for therapy, training, education, prevention and rehabilitation.

As in previous conferences, this year’s conference will be hosting an interactive exhibit area, the Cyberarium, which allows conference attendees and members of the press to try new technologies firsthand. To recognize outstanding achievements by students, new researchers, as well as lifetime achievement to a senior researcher, we will also be hosting awards during the conference and announcing the 2010-2011 iACToR officers during the General Assembly. Pre-conference workshops will high- light psychotherapeutic applications, brain computer in- terface devices, rehabilitation for seasoned researchers, and an introduction to VR will be given for those newer in the field.

As we approach CT15 with excitement, we begin too to look toward next year’s conference, CyberPsychology &
CyberTherapy 16, to be held in Gatineau, Canada on June 20-22, 2011. Thank you again for your commitment to the evolution of healthcare!

 

 

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., MBA, BCIA

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Virtual Reality Medical Institute

2010 Spring Editorial

Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Spring 2010, Volume 3, Issue 1

 

EDITORIAL

Welcome, readers and researchers, to the Spring 2010 issue of the Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation (JCR). Our peer-reviewed quarterly academic journal continues to explore and support the uses of advanced technologies for therapy, training, education, preven- tion and rehabilitation. JCR is unique in the fact that it focuses on the rapidly expanding worldwide trend of applying ground-breaking technology towards the field of healthcare, with an emphasis on the fields of psychi- atry, psychology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurorehabilitation, oncology, obesity, eating disorders and autism.

With a growing international base of readers and sup- porters driven by a similar goal of advancing the use of technology in the healthcare sector, JCR has re- ceived positive attention from peers, international in- stitutions and international conferences. To keep readers abreast of new developments, within this issue of JCR we present comprehensive articles submitted by preeminent scholars in the field, featuring such top- ics as combining physical activity with learning in an augmented reality setting, including the sense of ol- faction more commonly in VR, and how communica- tion is used in virtual worlds like Second Life.

In the first article Voorhees et al. study the relationship between attitude and adherence to treatment in adoles- cents with sub-threshold depression in order to improve public health strategies to prevent depressive disorders.

Next, Baus and Bouchard address the sense of olfaction and ways in which it can further and enrich VR any ad- vocate the growth of the field while discussing possible applications in virtual environments.

In an attempt to merge learning and physical activity in the classroom, Hsiao next looks at using augmented re- ality and VR applications to provide more effective teaching methods and increase retention, while provid- ing much-needed exercise to the younger population at the same time.

In the fourth article, Alquda et al. use Virtual Humans to look at how race and sex can affect how people interpret others’ pain, pain coping skills, related mood, and other factors.

Lastly, Park discusses the use of Second Life as an ex- ample of how activities in virtual worlds might be used as a communication environment to better understand each other, with an emphasis in this study on gender.

As well as continuing to provide our readers with the latest studies presented in an informative and engaging medium, we will be offering one Continuing Education quiz per issue as a further added service to our sub- scribers and others interested in supporting their educa- tion. For more information, see page 95.

I would like to sincerely thank the contributing authors for their inspiring work and dedication to this field of research. I also want to thank JCR’s Associate Editors – Professor Botella, Professor Bouchard, Professor Gamberini and Professor Riva for their leadership and hard work, as well as or internationally renowned Edi- torial Board for their contributions. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome new Board members – Linda A. Jackson of Michigan State University, Julian Dooley of Edith Cowan University, Wijnand IJsselsteijn from the Eindhoven University of Technology, Joshua Fogel from the University of New York, and XiaoXiang Zheng of Zhejiang University – whose diverse back- ground and placement around the globe will bring added richness to our board. We encourage readers and sub- scribers to contact us with ideas and we welcome sub- missions. Your input continues to enrich our publication.

With the start of a new year, new possibilities abound and we will continue to promote the growth of the di- verse field of advanced technologies for healthcare in Europe and worldwide. We are happy to count you as a part of this movement and thank you for your continued support.

 

 

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., MBA, BCIA

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation

Virtual Reality Medical Institute