RESUMO
Rapid development in information technology has been observed recently and has led to valuable developments also in healthcare. 3D-bio-printing or the virtual simulations that help the acquisition of anatomical and pathological knowledge and testing the acquired knowledge are just some of the examples. This progress can be recognized also in psychiatry. One of the most spectacular ways of using these technologies in psychiatry might be the therapeutic techniques associated with Virtual Reality (VR) simulations, which are currently available for anxiety disorders, eating disorders and addictions. A research team of the Psychiatric and Psychotherapeutic Department of the Semmelweis University has developed a Virtual Reality-based intervention that fits in with this perspective. The intervention mainly aims at Theory of Mind deficit and pragmatic language impairment in schizophrenia. In this article the current status of our research team's work will be presented. The article reviews the literature that provides the basis for the development, leads the reader through the main stages of the development process, and finally the program itself will be introduced. Process and mechanism of change associated with the intervention and the potential risks of the use of VR will also be discussed.
