Using AHP approach to determine the hierarchy of multi-modal interactive importance in foot reflexology practice

Abstract

The proliferation of Virtual Reality Stress therapy application to promote health, relaxation and stress relief has motivated researchers to utilize virtual environment to simulate the multi-modal interactivity in stress therapies for users to combat stress. Recent studies explored the existence of multimodal interactions in traditional foot reflexology practice identified the haptic, visual and aural interactions involved in the therapy. However, it is unclear to what degree is the significance of each multi-modal interaction which influences the therapeutic experience users perceive. This paper presents a study that examined data collected for analysis from 3 certified practicing experts to identify the hierarchy of importance and weight of the contributing criteria in the therapy. The study findings presented the visual and aural hierarchy of interactive importance from the practitioners' perspective. Implications for future research are also discussed.