Assessing Fire Interest with Virtual Reality
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Utilising Virtual Reality Technology for the Assessment of Inappropriate Fire Interest in Mentally Disordered Firesetters
IRAS ID
265342
Contact name
Katie Sambrooks
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Univeristy of Kent
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Deliberate firesetting results in a significant societal and economic burden internationally and as such represents a problem that needs to be addressed urgently. The Multi-Trajectory Theory of Adult Firesetting suggests inappropriate fire interest is a key psychological vulnerability that is associated with deliberate firesetting by adults (Gannon, Ó Ciardha, Doley & Alleyne, 2012). In fact, mentally disordered firesetters with an interest in fire are fifteen times more likely to set multiple fires (Tyler, Gannon, Dickens & Lockerbie, 2015). This highlights the need for fire interest to be accurately assessed so that clinicians can measure risk, identify treatment needs and determine the effectiveness of interventions for deliberate firesetting. Consequently, the proposed research will explore the utility of a novel method of assessment, using Virtual Reality Technology (VRT) for the identification of inappropriate fire interest in mentally disordered firesetters.
Inappropriate fire interest is currently assessed through questionnaire measures that require firesetters to imagine fire-related situations and report their thoughts and feelings (Ó Ciardha, Tyler, & Gannon, 2015). However, using VRT to present an immersive experience depicting a fire may be more likely to elicit thoughts and emotions associated with the individual's interest in fire than traditional imaginary measures. Thus, VRT represents a potentially superior method of assessment. The proposed research will compare participants' reactions to an immersive fire experience displayed via VRT with non-immersive televised and imagined fire experiences. During the fire experiences, participants' heart rate will be recorded and participants will be asked to verbalise all their thoughts and feelings in response to the fire as part of an In Vivo Fire Assessment. For the VRT condition, movement and interaction with the fire will also be measured. Associations between these novel assessments and scores on traditional questionnaire measures will be examined.
REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/SC/0537
Date of REC Opinion
16 Oct 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion