Compassion-focused therapy with virtual reality for callous-unemotional youth: A clinical case study on the therapy process of a young offender

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Abstract

The antisocial and aggressive behavior in childhood and adolescence combined with psychopathic traits has been connected to a more severe and chronic trajectory of antisocial behavior including criminality. Latest research has shown that compassion-focused therapy (CFT) adapted to young offenders with psychopathic traits is an effective treatment. Also, virtual reality (VR) is a new promising treatment tool in forensic settings. In our CFT+VR study project, we combined CFT with VR in treating adolescents with severe antisocial behavior and psychopathy. The aim of this case study was to deepen our understanding of the therapy process of one adolescent in the CFT+VR intervention and to test its efficacy on his psychopathic traits. The participant was a 19-year-old boy with a background of antisocial behavior, detained in a closed prison in Finland. He filled out the Youth Psychopathy Inventory Shortened in three measurement points: pretreatment (T0), after the 10th CFT meeting (T1), after the last meeting (T2). Estimated with the Reliable Change Index (RCI), our results indicate that during the intervention his callous and unemotional traits decreased (RCI<-1.96) between T0 and T1 (RCI=-3.53), and between T0 and T2 (RCI=-2.83) as did his total psychopathic traits between T0 and T1 (RCI=-2.42), and T0 and T2 (RCI=-3.03). Based on the therapy progression and the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis interview, the CFT+VR intervention increased the participant´s awareness of emotions and their connection to his feelings and automatic aggressive reactions which the VR exposure enhanced further. Even though some criticism also arose, the results of this case study suggest that the CFT+VR may be a new promising tool in treating adolescents with antisocial behavior and psychopathic traits.
Original languageEnglish
JournalPsychiatria Fennica
Volume55
Pages (from-to)102-123
Number of pages22
ISSN0079-7227
Publication statusPublished - 30 Oct 2024
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Fields of Science

  • 3124 Neurology and psychiatry
  • 515 Psychology

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