Virtual Reality in Art Therapy: A Pilot Qualitative Study of the Novel Medium and Implications for Practice

TLDR

VR therapies have been used in health and mental health care settings, yet the applicability of VR expressive tools in creative arts therapies remains inadequately examined. The study aims to determine the relevance of VR art‑making tools to art therapy practice and research. The pilot qualitative study involved 17 participants using VR art‑making tools to report their experiences. Participants reported that VR art‑making produced embodied visual expression, novel artistic and imaginal responses, and a developmental trajectory of mastery, while also fostering positive emotions, play, learning, access, and storage, and suggesting that VR can enhance psychological health through creativity, imagination, interactivity, and problem solving.

Abstract

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.