Miss Philippa Newton-Cross was awarded a TMRF grant in July 2025 towards her project titled Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): an exploration of the therapeutic benefits of a Virtual Reality immersive Therapy (VRiT) enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and movement (graded exposure) therapy 12-week chronic pain management programme (CPMP).
This research study is exploring a new virtual reality programme called ROHKEA VRiT, designed to help people living with chronic pain. Chronic pain affects around one in five adults, yet very few have access to pain management services. ROHKEA VRiT combines Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques with gentle movement and graded exposure exercises, delivered through immersive virtual reality. The aim is to help people build motivation, attention, and practical coping skills that can be transferred into everyday life – all from the safety and comfort of their own home.
Semi-automated mentoring intelligence (SAMI) in ROHKEATM from IRAS supporting materials
We will be working with six participants who will take part in a 12-week pain management programme guided by SAMI, a friendly avatar mentor. SAMI provides support, prompts, and simple education about chronic pain, while guiding participants through different virtual environments and tasks. As part of this pilot study, we want to understand people’s experiences using ROHKEA VRiT, including comfort, ease of use, and whether the skills learned in the virtual world carry over into daily life. The findings will help us assess whether this digital therapy could be scaled up in the future, making pain management more accessible to many more people.