Virtual environment directed to train mental health students in the skills required to perform an adequate clinical interview.

1. Virtual Intelligent Agents toVirtual Intelligent Agents to
Train Abilities of Diagnosis inTrain Abilities of Diagnosis in
Psychology and PsychiatryPsychology and Psychiatry
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

2. Enhance the training of mental healthEnhance the training of mental health
profesionals in the skills required toprofesionals in the skills required to
perform a correct clinical interview.perform a correct clinical interview.
ObjectiveObjective
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

3. ¿What is Virtual Reality?¿What is Virtual Reality?
“That computer technology that creates three-
dimensional environments with which the user can
interact in real time producing a sensation of
immersion very similar to the sense of presence in
real world”
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

4. Properties of Virtual RealityProperties of Virtual Reality
Immersion:Immersion: Stimulation of the different
sensorial channels (using visual and auditory devices)
Interaction:Interaction: VR not imply a passive
visualization of a virtual world, the user can
interact and, more important, the virtual world
responds in real time to those actions.
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

5. VR provides a medium to learn by doing,VR provides a medium to learn by doing,
through a first person experience. Performingthrough a first person experience. Performing
the task enhances the learning processthe task enhances the learning process
VR is frequently used forVR is frequently used for
professional trainingprofessional training ofof
many kindsmany kinds
To date only exists one
application for training
mental health professionals
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

6. Training for mental health professionalsTraining for mental health professionals
The Bus RideThe Bus Ride
Educate healthcare
professionals about the
symptoms experienced by a
psychotic patient
Puts the learner on a city bus
and surrounds them with the
same visual and auditory
hallucinations that experience
a patient with schizophrenia
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

7. ¿Why to choose VR as an¿Why to choose VR as an
educational method?educational method?
Practice with real patients during the studies is very difficult, so a
good alternative is to train the students with virtual patients.
VE encourage the active participation of the student. This promotes
the development of operational and formal thinking.
Any new method of education implies an increase of student’s attention
towards it.
Provides high similarity with real life situations but does not expose
the student to situations for which she is still not prepared.
When using VR the student can proceed at their own pace, and during
a broad period of time, facilitating the self-training and over-learning.
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

8. Virtual office room in which the learner can realize a
clinical interview to different patients via a
videoconference
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

9. Diagnostic Group Specific Mental Disorders
Psychotic disorders Schizophrenia
Schizoaffective disorder
Schizophreniform disorder
Delusional disorder
Mood disorders Bipolar I disorder
Bipolar II disorder
Cyclothymic disorder
Anxiety disorders Generalized anxiety disorder
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Eating disorders Bulimia Nervosa disorder
Somatoform disorders Hypochondriasis
Personality disorders Borderline personality disorder 1
Borderline personality disorder 2
13 virtual patients
The virtual agents were constructed using a
series of parameters that define their
verbal, emotional and motor responses
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

10. Examples of virtual patients
Psychotic patient Bipolar patient
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11. Task: Obtain enough data to formulate a
diagnosis
The student can selects the
most suitable question at
each stage of the interview
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

12. If the student selects the
correct diagnostic, the
system only accept it if
the patient has been
adequately examined
Each list of alternatives of questions also have a list
of possible diagnostics
Feedback is given each time the
student chooses a question or a
diagnostic hypothesis
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

13. Once the student gives the correct diagnosis, at a
suitable moment of the interview, she will be able to
formulate a prognosis
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

14. VIDEO
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15. Head Mounted Display
(HMD)
Personal Computer
HARDWARE
Several studies have reported improved learning with more
immersive systems like the Head Mounted Displays
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education

16. Thank you for your attention!!Thank you for your attention!!
Contact:Contact: alsinajurnet@gmail.com
IADAT. 4th International Conference on Education