• Teresa L Kramer, Jeffrey M Pyne, Timothy A Kimbrell, Patricia E Savary, Jeffrey L Smith, and Susan M Jegley.
• Department of Psychiatry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 Markham St., Slot 755, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA. kramerteresal@uams.edu
• Psychiatr Serv. 2010 Nov 1;61(11):1153-6.

ObjectiveImplementation of evidence-based, innovative treatments is necessary to address posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related mental health problems of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF-OIF) military service personnel. The purpose of this study was to characterize mental health clinicians' perceptions of virtual reality as an assessment tool or adjunct to exposure therapy.MethodsFocus groups were conducted with 18 prescribing and nonprescribing mental health clinicians within the Veterans Health Administration. Group discussion was digitally recorded, downloaded into Ethnograph software, and coded to arrive at primary, secondary, and tertiary themes.ResultsMost frequently mentioned barriers pertained to aspects of virtual reality, followed by veteran characteristics. Organizational barriers were more relevant when implementing virtual reality as a treatment adjunct.ConclusionsAlthough the study demonstrated that use of virtual reality as a therapy was feasible and acceptable to clinicians, successful implementation of the technology as an assessment and treatment tool will depend on consideration of the facilitators and barriers that were identified.

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