Monitor on Psychology - March 2012 - (Page 51)

therapies such as Skype, phone or emailing. Herbert, for instance, has conducted a pilot study showing that Skype produced even bigger effect sizes in helping people overcome social anxiety than avatar therapy did in other studies. Critics have bigger concerns, as well. Among them are patient confidentiality and safety, which can be problems in an environment like Second Life, where people can adopt any persona via an avatar and easily enter a wide range of sites and situations. In addition, there are no uniform guidelines for teletherapy, so psychologists must learn the current state of the field to avoid a range of legal and ethical pitfalls (see article, page 52). On the business side, psychologists have been hampered by a fear of learning new technology and the lack of a good business model that can provide potential clients with the information they need to sort through quality offerings versus ineffective or harmful ones. Still another concern is the use of avatars themselves: Are there ways that donning alternate persona, even those that may resemble you, change the way you act in therapy? Psychologists and businesses are figuring out ways to address at least some of these concerns. For one, they’re developing secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms in which patient privacy and confidentiality are well-protected. Some entities, such as the Online Therapy Institute (see sidebar), are creating informal guidelines for using these technologies in therapy, addressing issues such as the proper way to obtain informed consent and how to deal with patients’ tendency to reveal potentially traumatic information too quickly in such environments, says institute co-founder DeeAnna Nagel. Meanwhile, some psychologists are talking about ways to make these types of therapy more sustainable in a business sense. Wexler and Roff-Wexler, for instance, discuss these topics through their organization and website Metaverse+ (formerly Psychology 21C), and they welcome other psychologists’ input as well (see sidebar). And while many are slow to adopt such technology, using it is getting easier all the time, and technology quality is improving, others add. “We’re getting to the point where you can completely cut through all the prerequisite learning and technical stuff that has been in the way,” says Stone. One major breakthrough: A Microsoft gaming program called “Kinect” is now enabling users to create avatars that mirror a person’s looks, facial expression and gestures. And despite lingering uncertainties, it seems likely that these technologies will keep growing as people figure out business and other applications for them. “The future is going to come,” says Wexler, “but which future? Part of our responsibility as psychologists is to understand how these techniques affect human behavior, and to make sure we use them for the good of the client.” n Tori DeAngelis is a writer in Syracuse, N.Y. M a rc h 2 0 1 2 • M o n i to r o n p s yc h o l o g y Here’s a sampling of companies that offer clinically related software, training and HIPAAcompliant virtual spaces. • The Online Therapy Institute (www. onlinetherapyinstitute.com), one of the first companies to bring mental health services to the virtual world, offers a variety of training programs on legal, ethical and practice issues of such practice. the institute also hosts a 40-hour intensive avatar-therapy class for $1,500 that offers a certificate of completion. In addition, fivehour courses are available for $90 and payment plans are available for all classes and courses. • Metaverse+ (www.metaverseplus.com), an organization and website run by psychologists richard H. Wexler, PhD, and Suzanne roffWexler, PhD, provides information, training and research summaries for psychologists who want to learn how virtual reality and other interactive communications technology can be applied to organizational, consulting and clinical psychology. the service is free. • Thrive Research (www.thriveresearch. com) provides training in and access to HIPAAcompliant behavioral wellness platforms that include secure virtual environments. Annual user fee is $5,000. • virtually Better, inc. (www.virtuallybetter.com). this research and development company has a range of peer-reviewed virtual products for purchase, including virtual Iraq™, which helps soldiers and veterans overcome post-traumatic stress disorder, and products that address such phobias as fear of flying, speaking, heights and storms. Products range from $8,000 to $40,000, with subscription arrangements available for some of them. • WorldWired (http:// augmentedrealitytherapy.com), a company headed by psychologist David e. Stone, PhD, licenses “off-the-shelf” 3D immersive graphic and video environments for therapeutic and educational purposes. the company also provides clinical and technical consulting, customized scenarios and environments, and training. Clinical and technical training is $150/ hour; virtual classes are $300; and using the company’s “Immersive Iraq environment” is $150 per month, including six months of support as needed at $50/hour. —T. DeANGELiS Virtual training tools 51 http://www.onlinetherapyinstitute.com http://www.onlinetherapyinstitute.com http://www.metaverseplus.com http://www.thriveresearch.com http://www.thriveresearch.com http://www.virtuallybetter.com http://www.augmentedrealitytherapy.com http://www.augmentedrealitytherapy.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - March 2012

Monitor on Psychology - March 2012
Letters
President’s column
Contents
From the CEO
Supreme Court rejects eyewitness protections
New member benefit: prevention screenings
A psychodynamic treatment for PTSD shows promise for soldiers
Was ‘Little Albert’ ill during the famed conditioning study?
New research identifies ways to improve eyewitness identifications
In Brief
‘Our health at risk’
Perspective on Practice
APA endorses higher education guidelines
TIME CAPSULE
QUESTIONNAIRE
Random Sample
Judicial Notebook
Help for struggling veterans
Driving out cancer disparities
In the Public Interest
SCIENCE WATCH
Practice, virtually
The legal and ethical issues of virtual therapy
Psychologist PROFILE
EARLY CAREER PSYCHOLOGY
Bringing life into focus
Pay attention to me
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
Division Spotlight
Personalities

Monitor on Psychology - March 2012

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