Insights From the Nihon Housou Kyoukai’s Virtual Reality–Based Social Interaction Television Program “Project Aliens” for Adolescents With Psychiatric Disorders: Single-Center Case Series Study
BackgroundVirtual reality (VR) technology is emerging as a tool in mental health care, providing a safe space for social interaction and therapeutic engagement. A social VR-based television program broadcast on Japanese public television offers a virtual environment where ado...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2025-05-01
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| Series: | JMIR Formative Research |
| Online Access: | https://formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e74401 |
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| author | Junichi Fujita Mizuho Takayama Emi Kamono Satoru Shinoda Hiroyuki Yamaguchi Tomoko Moroga Mio Ishii Tomoyuki Miyazaki |
| author_facet | Junichi Fujita Mizuho Takayama Emi Kamono Satoru Shinoda Hiroyuki Yamaguchi Tomoko Moroga Mio Ishii Tomoyuki Miyazaki |
| author_sort | Junichi Fujita |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundVirtual reality (VR) technology is emerging as a tool in mental health care, providing a safe space for social interaction and therapeutic engagement. A social VR-based television program broadcast on Japanese public television offers a virtual environment where adolescents with mental health challenges can engage in peer support using alien avatars, reducing barriers to communication and encouraging emotional expression.
ObjectiveThis case series aimed to document the psychological trajectories of adolescents with psychiatric disorders participating in a social VR-based television program.
MethodsA single-center case series was conducted with 3 adolescents with psychiatric disorders (aged 15, 18, and 19 years) who participated in the social VR-based television program. The study focused on examining patient-reported outcomes (PROs), including psychological measures and qualitative experiences, and clinical observations across program participation and broadcast viewing. Psychological measures, including the Japanese versions of the 3-item Short-Form University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS3-J SF-3), the 14-item Resilience Scale, short form (RS-14), and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), were assessed at 3 time points: baseline, prebroadcast, and postbroadcast. Qualitative analysis of participant dialogue explored themes of self-disclosure, emotional expression, and social dynamics.
ResultsParticipants showed improvements in loneliness, resilience, and depressive symptoms after participating in the social VR-based program, as indicated by psychological measures and PROs. Qualitative analysis suggested that the structured facilitation embedded in the program enabled participants to express positive and negative emotions, promoting self-reflection and mutual support.
ConclusionsThis case series suggests that structured social VR programs can provide a supportive platform for emotional exploration and psychological growth among adolescents with psychiatric disorders. The combination of avatar-based interaThis case series suggests that structured social VR-based programs can provide a supportive platform for emotional exploration and psychological growth among adolescents with psychiatric disorders. The combination of avatar-based interaction and therapeutic facilitation may offer a novel approach to engaging young people in mental health care, particularly during waiting periods for traditional psychiatric services.ction and therapeutic facilitation may offer a novel approach to engaging young people in mental health care, particularly during waiting periods for traditional psychiatric services. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e7cb6f4c57674e14a49acfdfaaf47bc2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2561-326X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Formative Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-e7cb6f4c57674e14a49acfdfaaf47bc22025-08-20T02:37:40ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Formative Research2561-326X2025-05-019e7440110.2196/74401Insights From the Nihon Housou Kyoukai’s Virtual Reality–Based Social Interaction Television Program “Project Aliens” for Adolescents With Psychiatric Disorders: Single-Center Case Series StudyJunichi Fujitahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5960-5977Mizuho Takayamahttps://orcid.org/0009-0005-9917-491XEmi Kamonohttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6928-0432Satoru Shinodahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0651-438XHiroyuki Yamaguchihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4557-4804Tomoko Morogahttps://orcid.org/0009-0005-9922-5385Mio Ishiihttps://orcid.org/0009-0000-4204-5985Tomoyuki Miyazakihttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3840-5436 BackgroundVirtual reality (VR) technology is emerging as a tool in mental health care, providing a safe space for social interaction and therapeutic engagement. A social VR-based television program broadcast on Japanese public television offers a virtual environment where adolescents with mental health challenges can engage in peer support using alien avatars, reducing barriers to communication and encouraging emotional expression. ObjectiveThis case series aimed to document the psychological trajectories of adolescents with psychiatric disorders participating in a social VR-based television program. MethodsA single-center case series was conducted with 3 adolescents with psychiatric disorders (aged 15, 18, and 19 years) who participated in the social VR-based television program. The study focused on examining patient-reported outcomes (PROs), including psychological measures and qualitative experiences, and clinical observations across program participation and broadcast viewing. Psychological measures, including the Japanese versions of the 3-item Short-Form University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS3-J SF-3), the 14-item Resilience Scale, short form (RS-14), and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), were assessed at 3 time points: baseline, prebroadcast, and postbroadcast. Qualitative analysis of participant dialogue explored themes of self-disclosure, emotional expression, and social dynamics. ResultsParticipants showed improvements in loneliness, resilience, and depressive symptoms after participating in the social VR-based program, as indicated by psychological measures and PROs. Qualitative analysis suggested that the structured facilitation embedded in the program enabled participants to express positive and negative emotions, promoting self-reflection and mutual support. ConclusionsThis case series suggests that structured social VR programs can provide a supportive platform for emotional exploration and psychological growth among adolescents with psychiatric disorders. The combination of avatar-based interaThis case series suggests that structured social VR-based programs can provide a supportive platform for emotional exploration and psychological growth among adolescents with psychiatric disorders. The combination of avatar-based interaction and therapeutic facilitation may offer a novel approach to engaging young people in mental health care, particularly during waiting periods for traditional psychiatric services.ction and therapeutic facilitation may offer a novel approach to engaging young people in mental health care, particularly during waiting periods for traditional psychiatric services.https://formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e74401 |
| spellingShingle | Junichi Fujita Mizuho Takayama Emi Kamono Satoru Shinoda Hiroyuki Yamaguchi Tomoko Moroga Mio Ishii Tomoyuki Miyazaki Insights From the Nihon Housou Kyoukai’s Virtual Reality–Based Social Interaction Television Program “Project Aliens” for Adolescents With Psychiatric Disorders: Single-Center Case Series Study JMIR Formative Research |
| title | Insights From the Nihon Housou Kyoukai’s Virtual Reality–Based Social Interaction Television Program “Project Aliens” for Adolescents With Psychiatric Disorders: Single-Center Case Series Study |
| title_full | Insights From the Nihon Housou Kyoukai’s Virtual Reality–Based Social Interaction Television Program “Project Aliens” for Adolescents With Psychiatric Disorders: Single-Center Case Series Study |
| title_fullStr | Insights From the Nihon Housou Kyoukai’s Virtual Reality–Based Social Interaction Television Program “Project Aliens” for Adolescents With Psychiatric Disorders: Single-Center Case Series Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Insights From the Nihon Housou Kyoukai’s Virtual Reality–Based Social Interaction Television Program “Project Aliens” for Adolescents With Psychiatric Disorders: Single-Center Case Series Study |
| title_short | Insights From the Nihon Housou Kyoukai’s Virtual Reality–Based Social Interaction Television Program “Project Aliens” for Adolescents With Psychiatric Disorders: Single-Center Case Series Study |
| title_sort | insights from the nihon housou kyoukai s virtual reality based social interaction television program project aliens for adolescents with psychiatric disorders single center case series study |
| url | https://formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e74401 |
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