TY - JOUR
T1 - Using VR-based interventions, wearable technology, and text mining to improve military and Veteran mental health
AU - Vermetten, Eric
AU - Tielman, Myrthe
AU - van Dort, Ewout
AU - Binsch, Olaf
AU - Li, Xueliang
AU - Rozendaal, Marco
AU - Veldkamp, Bernard
AU - Wynn, Gary
AU - Jetly, Rakesh
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Introduction: Virtual reality (VR)-based interventions, wearable technology and text mining hold promising potential for advancing the way in which military and Veteran mental health conditions are diagnosed and treated. They have the ability to improve treatment protocol adherence, assist in the detection of mental health conditions, enhance resilience and increase a patient’s motivation to continue therapy. Methods: This article explores five cutting-edge research projects designed to leverage VR-based interventions, wearable technology, and text mining to improve military and Veteran mental health. A computer-animated virtual agent provides online coaching for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients in their own homes to enhance treatment compliance. A head-mounted display safely immerses PTSD patients in a virtual world to relive past experiences and associate them with new meanings. Gaming and simulation technology are tested as a way to improve resilience and performance in military members in deployment-related scenarios. Guidelines are developed for the creation of wearable assistive technology for military members and Veterans. Text mining is explored as a way to assist in the detection of PTSD. Results: VR-based therapy, gaming and simulation, wearable assistive and sensory technology, and text mining hold promise for diagnosing, monitoring, and treating military mental health conditions. Discussion: The five research projects presented have made promising contributions to the field of military and Veteran mental health, either by advancing diagnostic trajectories, contributing to therapy or enhancing the process by developing new approaches to delivering preventive or curative care.
AB - Introduction: Virtual reality (VR)-based interventions, wearable technology and text mining hold promising potential for advancing the way in which military and Veteran mental health conditions are diagnosed and treated. They have the ability to improve treatment protocol adherence, assist in the detection of mental health conditions, enhance resilience and increase a patient’s motivation to continue therapy. Methods: This article explores five cutting-edge research projects designed to leverage VR-based interventions, wearable technology, and text mining to improve military and Veteran mental health. A computer-animated virtual agent provides online coaching for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients in their own homes to enhance treatment compliance. A head-mounted display safely immerses PTSD patients in a virtual world to relive past experiences and associate them with new meanings. Gaming and simulation technology are tested as a way to improve resilience and performance in military members in deployment-related scenarios. Guidelines are developed for the creation of wearable assistive technology for military members and Veterans. Text mining is explored as a way to assist in the detection of PTSD. Results: VR-based therapy, gaming and simulation, wearable assistive and sensory technology, and text mining hold promise for diagnosing, monitoring, and treating military mental health conditions. Discussion: The five research projects presented have made promising contributions to the field of military and Veteran mental health, either by advancing diagnostic trajectories, contributing to therapy or enhancing the process by developing new approaches to delivering preventive or curative care.
KW - Military and veteran mental health
KW - NATO
KW - PTSD
KW - Simulation technology
KW - Text mining
KW - VR-based interventions
KW - Virtual reality
KW - Wearable technology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087065946&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3138/jmvfh.2019-0033
DO - 10.3138/jmvfh.2019-0033
M3 - Article
VL - 6
SP - 26
EP - 35
JO - Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health
JF - Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health
SN - 2368-7924
IS - S1
ER -