TECHNOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY: THE APPLICATION OF VR TECHNOLOGY

The development of technologies and their use in various fields of life and for different purposes have recently increased because of mandatory restrictive measures implemented by worldwide governments (to limit the spread of Covid-19). In this editorial are presented some notions about artificial reality and virtually created environments. It is discussed the opportunity to experience authentic emotions through virtual scenarios where people immerse themselves for teaching, training skills, or even when the real environment cannot be reproduced and only a simulated environment can help to enrich the experience and overcome some fears. It is shown that personal experience in a simulated reality, not only as an observer but also as a protagonist, stimulates and helps to acquire specific practical skills, and develop behavioral models leading to better learning and psychotherapeutic outcomes.

Critical psychiatry: a brief overview

SUMMARYCritical psychiatry has often been confused with what is widely known as ‘anti-psychiatry’. In this article the distinction is clarified and the particular contribution critical psychiatry makes is outlined. That contribution is constructive criticism: of the relationship between medicine and mental health practice, of the way drug and psychotherapeutic treatments for mental health difficulties might be better understood. These have implications for everyday clinical practice and there is much to be gained by openly embracing the controversies critical psychiatry highlights.LEARNING OBJECTIVES•Understand the origins of critical psychiatry and recognise some of the difficulties that arise from identifying psychiatry with medicine•Appreciate the differences between disease-centred and drug-centred approaches to prescribing psychiatric medication•Become aware of implications that arise from psychotherapeutic outcomes researchDECLARATION OF INTERESTSH. M. and J. M. are co-chairs of the UK Critical Psychiatry Network.

Psychotherapeutic Outcome for Children in a Community Mental Health Center: Psychological, Demographic, and Treatment Predictors

Premature terminations by clients and poor psychotherapeutic outcomes are problems for community mental health centers. Psychological, demographic, and treatment measures were collected on 121 children and their families to identify salient factors which could predict treatment outcomes. Utilizing discriminant functions, comparisons were made between premature vs planned terminations and good vs guarded prognoses. The resulting profiles were classified for accuracy of predicted group membership. Discussion concerned the application of findings and the methodology employed in the early identification of the potential dropouts or unresponsive clients.