Reflections of the self
Reflections of the self
Self-esteem is a key factor in mental health, especially for individuals with psychotic disorders, who often experience a distorted sense of self and low self-esteem. Furthermore, adolescents are vulnerable due to high self-criticism, increasing the risk of mental health problems. Virtual Reality (VR) can be a helpful tool to improve current therapies for self-esteem.
In the first part of this thesis of Marit Hidding, we investigated how self-esteem and changes in self-esteem are associated with other factors in psychotic disorders through a systematic review and using a large dataset of people in remission from a first episode of psychosis. Low self-esteem was found to be associated most frequently with more severe psychotic symptoms, higher self-stigma, and more severe depressive symptoms. Social support emerges as an important contributor to healthy self-esteem. Over time, improvements in self-esteem are associated with reductions in psychotic symptoms, fewer negative side-effects from medication, lower self-stigma, and greater social support. These findings highlight the importance of addressing self-esteem in treatment, as it is closely tied to better outcomes.
In the second part of this thesis, we investigated two single-session VR interventions designed to reduce self-criticism and increase self-compassion in students and explores their value for suicidal ideation. Both interventions proved effective, regardless of the participants’ level of suicidal ideation. The results suggest that VR can be a valuable addition to current therapies targeting self-esteem and self-criticism, offering new possibilities for improving general mental well-being.