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Wiederhold BK. Bridging Tradition and Technology: Soft Skills Training for the Modern Day "House Call". CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:357-358. [PMID: 38856154 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2024.28593.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
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Wiederhold BK. Why We Need to Consider Patient-Centered Care in Online Records. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:359-360. [PMID: 38285184 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29306.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
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Wiederhold BK. Integrating Psychedelics into Digital Health: A New Horizon in Mental Wellness. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:297-299. [PMID: 38709192 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2024.34732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
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Wiederhold BK. Digital Desires, Real Losses: The Complex World of Online Romance Fraud. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:300-302. [PMID: 38471113 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2024.29311.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
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Wiederhold BK. Nostalgia as Self-Care: Embracing the Kidult Culture. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:238-239. [PMID: 38359393 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2024.29308.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
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Wiederhold BK. The Dark Side of the Digital Age: How to Address Cyberbullying among Adolescents. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:169-171. [PMID: 38364097 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2024.29309.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
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Wiederhold BK. Modern Hieroglyphics and the Generation Gap: Do Emojis Need Their Own Rosetta Stone? CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:167-168. [PMID: 37902978 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29298.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
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Wiederhold BK. The Path Forward: Self-Management Strategies for Long COVID. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:97-99. [PMID: 38153845 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29305.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
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Dakanalis A, Wiederhold BK, Riva G. Artificial Intelligence: A Game-Changer for Mental Health Care. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:100-104. [PMID: 38358832 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.0723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Starting from the escalating global burden of mental health disorders, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the article examines the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize mental health care. With nearly one in five adults facing mental health issues and suicide ranking as a leading cause of death among the young, the strained mental health system seeks innovative solutions. The text discusses the rapid evolution of AI, particularly in image analysis for early physical health diagnoses, and its promising applications in mental health, including predictive analytics for various disorders. AI's ability to analyze written language, speech characteristics, and physiological signals from wearables offers avenues for remote monitoring and early prognosis. Despite the need to address ethical considerations, particularly biases in data sets and concerns about potential patient detachment, the article advocates for AI as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for human involvement in mental health services. Overall, the article emphasizes the transformative potential of AI in enhancing diagnostics, monitoring, and treatment strategies for mental health disorders.
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Riva G, Wiederhold BK, Villani D. Toward a Humane Metaverse: Challenges and Opportunities. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:3-8. [PMID: 38118107 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29303.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
The metaverse, an emerging digital universe blurring the lines between reality and virtuality, offers a view into a future where human interaction transcends physical boundaries. In this article, we analyze the multidimensional facets of the metaverse, scrutinizing the landscape of challenges and opportunities it offers. The article delves into the challenges faced by human society in adapting to the metaverse, including the digital divide, ethical dilemmas, the level of trust, and the potential erosion of social and physical reality. Amid the allure of boundless creativity, questions arise about the very essence of human experience-identity, empathy, social relationships, life satisfaction, and the nature of reality itself. The metaverse, with all its complexities, challenges us to redefine the boundaries of human interaction, urging us to tread cautiously while embracing the limitless possibilities it presents. As we venture "toward a humane metaverse," we must navigate the intricate interplay of technology and humanity, shaping a future where the virtual realm enhances, rather than diminishes, the richness of the human experience.
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Riva G, Wiederhold BK, Mantovani F. Searching for the Metaverse: Neuroscience of Physical and Digital Communities. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:9-18. [PMID: 37057986 PMCID: PMC10794843 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
What distinguishes real-world communities from their online counterparts? Social and cognitive neuroscience research on social networks and collective intentionality will be used in the article to answer this question. Physical communities are born in places. And places engage "we-mode" neurobiological and cognitive processes as behavioral synchrony, shared attention, deliberate attunement, interbrain synchronization, and so on, which create coherent social networks of very different individuals who are supported by a "wisdom of crowd." Digital technologies remove physical boundaries, giving people more freedom to choose their activities and groups. At the same time, however, the lack of physical co-presence of community members significantly reduces their possibility of activating "we-mode" cognitive processes and social motivation. Because of this, unlike physical communities that allow interaction between people from varied origins and stories, digital communities are always made up of people who have the same interests and knowledge (communities of practice). This new situation disrupts the "wisdom of crowd," making the community more radical and less accurate (polarization effect), allowing influential users to wield disproportionate influence over the group's beliefs, and producing inequalities in the distribution of social capital. However, a new emergent technology-the Metaverse-has the potential to reverse this trend. Several studies have revealed that virtual and augmented reality-the major technologies underlying the Metaverse-can engage the same neurobiological and cognitive "we-mode" processes as real-world environments. If the many flaws in this technology are fixed, it might encourage people to engage in more meaningful and constructive interactions in online communities.
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Wiederhold BK. Navigating the Medical Metaverse: Using Objective Measures to Stay on Course. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:1-2. [PMID: 38126887 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29304.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
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Wiederhold BK. Hybrid VR Therapy: The Future of Mental Health Care Has Arrived. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023; 26:879-880. [PMID: 38010794 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29301.bkw] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
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Pyne JM, Constans JI, Wiederhold BK, Jegley S, Rabalais A, Hu B, Weber MC, Hinkson KD, Wiederhold MD. Predicting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Response Using Heart Rate Variability to Virtual Reality Environment and Modified Stroop Task: An Exploratory Study. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023; 26:896-903. [PMID: 38032955 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.0164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Predicting treatment response can inform treatment decisions, expectations, and optimize use of mental health treatment resources. This study examined heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and a modified Stroop task (mStroop) to predict post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment response. We report on an observational, longitudinal study with 45 U.S. veterans in outpatient PTSD care, who had deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. HR and HRV were collected before, during, and after virtual reality (VR) combat and civilian scenes. HRV recovery was defined as HRV after a 3-minute VR simulation minus HRV during a VR scene. mStroop threat variables included index scores for combat and general threat. Self-report data were collected at baseline and 6 months later. The outcome variable was the 17-item Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Controlling for baseline CAPS and number of combat experiences, the following baseline HRV recovery variables were significant predictors of 6-month CAPS: standard deviation of normal beat to beat interval (SDNN) after combat scene minus SDNN during combat scene and low-frequency (LF HRV) after civilian scene minus LF during civilian scene. HRV at rest, HR reactivity, HR recovery, and mStroop scores did not predict treatment response. In conclusion, HRV recovery variables in the context of a standardized VR stressor were significant predictors of PTSD treatment response after controlling for baseline CAPS and number of combat experiences. The direction of this relationship indicates that greater baseline HRV recovery predicts lower 6-month PTSD symptom severity. This was an exploratory study in need of replication.
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Zhao J, Luo W, Pang S, Hu B, Shui D, Bin L, Mao K, Hao G, Liu Z, Wiederhold BK, Wiederhold M. Digital Therapy for Visual Acuity and Binocular Function in Children with Anisometropic Amblyopia. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023; 26:924-929. [PMID: 37883183 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2022.0241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Amblyopia affects development of children's monocular vision and binocular function and becomes a largely intractable problem with increasing aging. This study is to investigate the binocular function and evaluate efficacy of digital therapy in children 8-13 years of age with anisometropic amblyopia. The patients in the digital therapy group performed the training with the digital amblyopia therapeutic software. The visual acuity and binocular function (perceptual eye position [PEP], suppression, and stereopsis) were examined at the first visit and 3-month post-treatment. Twenty-three cases in the control group and 25 cases in the digital therapy group were enrolled. The results revealed that 3-month digital therapy can effectively improve corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and improve the binocular function, including PEP, suppression, and second-order stereopsis in children with anisometropic amblyopia, 8-13 years of age. Digital therapy for amblyopia can effectively improve monocular CDVA of amblyopic eyes and binocular function in older children with anisometropic amblyopia.
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Wiederhold BK. If Social Fitness Is the Key to Happiness, Technology Provides a Fine Workout. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023; 26:877-878. [PMID: 37751185 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29297.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
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Zhao M, Lu Y, Wiederhold M, Wiederhold BK, Chu H, Yan L. Virtual Reality Visual Perceptual Plastic Training Promotes Retinal Structure and Macular Function Recovery in Glaucoma Patients. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023; 26:861-868. [PMID: 37801669 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2022.0296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Twenty-seven glaucoma patients (54 eyes in total) with well-controlled intraocular pressure were trained with binocular virtual reality visual software for 3 months to investigate whether virtual reality visual perceptual plastic training promotes macular retinal structure and macular function recovery in glaucoma patients. The thickness of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL), macular ganglion cell layer-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL), and mean macular sensitivity (mMS) were evaluated 3 months after training. The mean value of pRNFL thickness in glaucoma patients did not change significantly (Z = 0.642, p = 0.521), nor did the mean value (t = 1.916, p = 0.061) and minimum value (Z = 1.428, p = 0.153) of mGCIPL after 3 months. However, the significant increases were found in superior temporal mGCIPL thickness (t = 2.430, p = 0.019) as well as superior mGCIPL thickness (t = 2.262, p = 0.028). Additionally, the mMS was increased (Z = 2.259, p < 0.05), with the inferior square to be a more pronounced mMS increase (Z = 2.070, p = 0.038). In conclusion, virtual reality visual perceptual plastic training can increase the thickness of retinal ganglion cells complexes in the macular area of glaucoma patients and improve the macular function of the corresponding area. Clinical Trial registration number: ChiCTR1900027909.
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Wiederhold BK. The Virtual Patient and You: How AI Can Enhance Both Sides of the Therapeutic Relationship. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023; 26:729-730. [PMID: 37610868 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29292.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
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Wiederhold BK. A Legacy of Trauma: How Local Conflicts Can Have Global Implications for Mental Health. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023. [PMID: 37751187 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29296.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
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Wiederhold BK. An Odyssey in Pixels: The Transformation of Travel in the Mixed Reality Era. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023; 26:666-667. [PMID: 37410510 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29288.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
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Riva G, Di Lernia D, Tuena C, Bernardelli L, Maldonado JG, Ferrer-Garcia M, Porras-Garcia B, Meyer ML, Shiban Y, Castelnuovo G, Pagnini F, Pedroli E, Sforza F, Clementi A, Sansoni M, Wiederhold BK, Serino S. A Self-Help Virtual Therapeutic Experience Intervention for Overcoming Psychological Distress Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results From the European Multicentric COVID Feel Good Trial. Psychosom Med 2023; 85:639-650. [PMID: 37053096 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The general objective of the current study was to investigate the efficacy of a novel self-help virtual therapeutic experience (specifically, the COVID Feel Good intervention) in lowering the psychological burden experienced during the COVID-19 lockdowns in four European countries. METHODS We focused on participants recruited from June 2020 to May 2021 in the context of a European multicenter project including four university/academic sites. The total number of participants in the longitudinal studies was 107 (study 1, N = 40; study 2, N = 29; study 3, N = 38). The randomized controlled trial (study 4) included 31 participants in total, 16 in the intervention group and 15 in the control group. Primary outcome measures were depression, anxiety, stress symptoms, perceived stress level, and perceived hopelessness. The secondary outcome was experienced social connectedness. RESULTS Using separate linear mixed-effects models, the most consistent result across countries was a reduction in perceived stress after the participation in the COVID Feel Good intervention. By pooling the results of the models using a random-effects meta-analysis, we found that after the COVID Feel Good intervention, participants reported a decrease in perceived general distress (mean standardized effect size for general distress in the treatment groups compared with the control conditions was -0.52 [ p = .008, 95% confidence interval = -0.89 to -0.14]) and an increase in the perceived social connection (mean standardized effect size for social connection using COVID Feel Good compared with the control conditions was 0.50 [ p ≤ .001, 95% confidence interval = 0.25 to 0.76]). CONCLUSIONS Findings of this study indicate that a virtual self-help intervention is effective in reducing psychological distress. These results contribute to the growing literature supporting the use of digital psychological therapies to relieve psychological distress among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic.Trial Registration : ISRCTN63887521.
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Wiederhold BK. A Message from the Editor-in-Chief. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023; 26:665. [PMID: 37713679 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29293.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
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Wiederhold BK. Haptics: Making the Metaverse a Touching Experience. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023; 26:668-669. [PMID: 37092994 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29278.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
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Wiederhold BK. The Weight of It: Tech Tools to Manage Obesity. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023; 26:577-578. [PMID: 37486648 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29290.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
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Wiederhold BK. Putting the Toothpaste Back in the Tube: Against Online Hate Speech. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023. [PMID: 37311179 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.29283.editorial] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
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