The combination of cognitive-behavioural therapy with virtual reality for the treatment of post-natal depression

Abstract

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for post-natal depression (PND), a depressive disorder experienced in the post-partum period. Virtual reality (VR) has never been used for the treatment of PND. This pilot study investigated the feasibility of combining CBT and VR for the treatment of PND. It tests the entire treatment protocol, including the VR system. The results show that the combination of CBT and VR is feasible. The study identifies limitations and technical difficulties. It provides recommendations for the better implementation of VR within the treatment protocol based on the participants' feedback.