The Effects of Virtual Reality on Enhancement of Self-Compassion and Self-Protection, and Reduction of Self-Criticism: A Systematic Review

Background: Virtual reality used for the treatment of mental health disorders is showing promising potential in clinical practice. Increasing self-compassion and self-protections and decreasing self-criticism have been identified as trans-diagnostic mechanisms helping to build a resilient self. The goal of this systematic review was to provide an overview of research studies about virtual reality while exploring its effectiveness in increasing self-compassion and self-protection and decreasing self-criticism. Methods: On 6 December 2022, titles, abstracts, and, where available, keywords were searched in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The inclusion criteria were: empirical study; quantitative methodology; outcomes measured, including self-compassion and/or self-protection, and/or self-criticism; pre/post and/or control group intervention measures of selected outcomes; participants aged 18 and above; application of virtual reality technology as part of the intervention; full study availability; and English language. Exclusion criteria were: ruminations related only to physical pain; self-protection in the context of physical survival; VR used to increase ruminations. Results: Selection criteria were met by 19 studies (two randomized controlled trials, 16 longitudinal studies, and one case study) with an overall number of 672 participants. Results suggest that VR interventions targeting self-criticism, self-compassion, and self-protection might be effective for non-clinical (self-compassion) as well as clinical (self-criticism and self-protection) samples. Discussion: The present systematic review partially supports the effectiveness of VR interventions on self-criticism, self-protection, and self-compassion. To properly answer the question of its effectiveness, more randomized control trials with larger samples from different populations are needed. The results are also limited by the variability of intervention protocols and the amount of exposure to VR. Other: This work was supported by the Vedecká grantová agentúra VEGA under Grant 1/0075/19. This systematic review has not been pre-registered.