TY - JOUR
T1 - Virtual Reality in Art Therapy
T2 - A Pilot Qualitative Study of the Novel Medium and Implications for Practice
AU - Kaimal, Girija
AU - Carroll-Haskins, Katrina
AU - Berberian, Marygrace
AU - Dougherty, Abby
AU - Carlton, Natalie
AU - Ramakrishnan, Arun
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019, © AATA, Inc. 2019.
PY - 2020/1/2
Y1 - 2020/1/2
N2 - Virtual reality (VR) therapies have been used in health and mental health care settings. The applicability of VR expressive tools has not yet been examined adequately in the creative arts therapies. This pilot qualitative study reports on 17 participants’ experiences with VR art-making tools to determine its relevance to art therapy practice and research. Findings indicate that VR-based self-expression is an embodied visual expression, generates novel artistic and imaginal responses, and requires a developmental trajectory in expression and mastery. The unique characteristics of art therapy in VR were identified as positive emotions, play and exploration, learning and mastery, access, and storage. VR has the potential to enhance psychological health and well-being through creativity, enhanced imagination, interactivity, and problem solving.
AB - Virtual reality (VR) therapies have been used in health and mental health care settings. The applicability of VR expressive tools has not yet been examined adequately in the creative arts therapies. This pilot qualitative study reports on 17 participants’ experiences with VR art-making tools to determine its relevance to art therapy practice and research. Findings indicate that VR-based self-expression is an embodied visual expression, generates novel artistic and imaginal responses, and requires a developmental trajectory in expression and mastery. The unique characteristics of art therapy in VR were identified as positive emotions, play and exploration, learning and mastery, access, and storage. VR has the potential to enhance psychological health and well-being through creativity, enhanced imagination, interactivity, and problem solving.
KW - 3-D drawing
KW - Virtual Reality
KW - art therapy
KW - digital art therapy
KW - embodied expression
KW - qualitative research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85074039639&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85074039639&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/07421656.2019.1659662
DO - 10.1080/07421656.2019.1659662
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85074039639
SN - 0742-1656
VL - 37
SP - 16
EP - 24
JO - Art Therapy
JF - Art Therapy
IS - 1
ER -