Audiovisual Therapy Professional Feedback

Today, I conducted a short interview with Paul Richards, a psychotherapist in Nottingham who specialises in anger management. After showing him the material that was produced as part of the study and explaining the purpose and intentions of the project, he provided some insight as to how effective he thinks Audiovisual Therapy might be at treating mental illness. Below are the short answers to a questionnaire I asked him to complete and some of the points that came up in the interview:

1. How effective would you say the methods highlighted by this study would be at inducing a relaxed state in a client? (Circle one)

Very Effective Moderately Effective Slightly Effective Not at all

2. Do you think this would be a successful treatment technique for anxiety? Please provide your reasons for why.

"Yes - ambient anchoring"

- Ambient anchoring is the process by which a mood can be set through music and imagery. For example, a video might be played to a group to set a positive atmosphere before discussion starts.

3. Could you see Audiovisual Therapy being used as a treatment for mental illness? If so, please describe what illnesses might be benefited.

"Yes - with mild (very mild) depression and anxiety - problem is there is no feedback to the medium."

4. Would you consider using Audiovisual Therapy as part of your practice? If so, how might you use it?

"Yes - in training and groups as an anchor."

5. What changes might you make to the material that was produced as part of this study and why?

"No, none at all."

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During the interview Paul made several points, the most important of which are outlined below:

1. Audiovisual Therapy would be an effective tool for therapy when used for ambient anchoring. This method attempts to "anchor" an atmosphere or mood. This is useful when working with groups, as it produces a similar reaction by all of the clients and can positively influence the discussion.

2. The use of Audiovisual Therapy is similar to what Paul tries to achieve mentally. He says that he works with creating mental images in clients' minds and that it is the invitation to a feeling or belief that is significant, not the actual image itself. Through this way, Audiovisual Therapy would prove to be effective in changing mental processes and causing positive physical reactions to most individuals, most of the time. However, its purpose is a broad version of the "finesse" practice of actual therapy.

3. A major drawback of using Audiovisual Therapy material as a method of treatment is the factor of dependence. If a clip proves to be highly effective, for example to an insomniac, then psychological dependence could be formed, thus contributing to the problem. Paul states that especially for an individual who suffers from OCD, which by nature involves excessive repetitive actions, it could become an "unnecessary necessity".

Artefact 6 - Report

As a result of the previous Artefacts’ conclusions, Artefact 6 was based on exploring the possible applications for Audiovisual Therapy. After determining the most important elements to focus on, and highlighting the possibility of self-generated therapeutic clips, it was logical to pursue other areas where the results of this study could be put to use. In doing so, a


After conducting further research into mental illness and selecting some conditions that might be benefited from the results of this study, their respective treatments were compared to the methods that might be applied using Audiovisual Therapy. For example, phobias can be treated by self-help techniques and behavioural therapy. Both involve exposure to the fear, however behavioural therapy implements relaxation techniques to aid the treatment. Thus, exposure and relaxation could be achieved through moving images and audio. Depression can be treated with Cognitive Behahavioural Therapy, counseling, and Interpersonal Therapy. These involve finding the source of the problem and trying to change the thought process. In this case, visual content might provoke changes in thought patterns. With insomnia, sleep hygiene and stimulus control point out some interesting treatment techniques, most significantly resolving stress before sleep, and the fact that a stimulus can increase the chance of a behaviour occurring due to an association in the mind. As seen in the previous Artefacts, it is possible to induce a relaxed state, therefore resolving stress and when watched every night before bed, becomes a sleep-reinforcing tool.


Although the methods for treating these conditions have different roots, the common is that they ask for an effort to be made by the patient to explore further options for themselves. This outlook is shared by Audiovisual Therapy, and it is through the interaction of the user and the content that they are able to explore various therapeutic options.

Artefact 6 - Conclusions

These are the conclusions reached after conducting the research for the final artefact, Artefact 6, and some of the general points that have been emphasized by the project:

1. Using similar principles, the format of the Audiovisual Therapy viewing experience and the mental/physical reactions to this experience pave the way for a completely new approach to treatment.
2. If the format can be used to treat phobias, depression, and insomnia, then it is reasonable to assume that applications could be found for a vast number of ailments from small to large.
3. Existing treatments have numerous drawbacks, however Audiovisual Therapy would ideally be used in combination with an existing treatment depending on the severity of the illness. It would not be safe to assume that it would be able to take the place of necessary medication and therapy.
4. The technologies that exist today allow for use at almost any time, and provide the ability to create a self-generated therapeutic clip.
5. Audiovisual Therapy is a low-risk treatment that is accessible, cheap to no-cost, and uses modern technology to expand on the principles of existing treatments.
   

Artefact 6 - Research (Insomnia)

Insomnia is the final condition that I have looked into that shows a high potential to be able to apply the findings of this study. Below are the existing treatments and how Audiovisual Therapy might approach it:

Insomnia Treatments:

1. Behavioural Therapy

2. Sleep Hygiene

- Sleep just to feel rested
- Regular sleep schedule
- No caffeine/alcohol/smoking in the evening
- Adjust bedroom environment
- Resolve stress and anxiety before going to bed

3. Stimulus Control

- The principle that a stimulus (getting ready for bed) can increase the chance of a behaviour (going to sleep), because of the association the mind has with that stimulus.

4. Relaxation Techniques

5. Sleep Restriction

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If an important part of sleep hygiene is resolving stress and anxiety before bed, an Audiovisual Therapy clip could help to do this, as shown by previous artefacts. Based on the principle of stimulus control, by watching this clip every night before bed, it will increase the likelihood of sleep. Additionally, using relaxation techniques such as "mindful breathing" in combination with calming images and music, a person would be able to reach a heightened state of calm, thus increasing the chances of them being able to fall asleep.

Artefact 6 - Research (Depression)

Below is another illness that has treatment methods which might be benefited from Audiovisual Therapy:

Depression Treatments:

1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

- "Based on the principle that the way we feel is partly dependent on the way we think about things. It teaches you to behave in ways that challenge negative thoughts - for example, being active to challenge feelings of hopelessness." - NHS, 2010

2. Interpersonal Therapy

- Focuses on one's relationships with other people and problems such as coping mechanisms.

3. Counseling

- Attempts to have one think about the problems they are facing and find out new approaches of dealing with them.

4. Antidepressants

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Based on the methods of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, and counseling, the common factor of finding new solutions to problems seems to be the key. By facing their relationships with other people through a clip comprised of images and video of friends and family where difficulties may lie, one might be able to think more objectively about the situations. This would also cause less pressure to lie on a person suffering from depression, considering they do not have to face the problems in person. Additionally, the process itself may be a beneficial aspect. By selecting the content themselves and confronting the situation objectively, it may be easier for new solutions to be found.

Artefact 6 - Research (Phobias)

To measure the scope and purpose of Audiovisual Therapy, I have conducted further research into mental illness. I am looking for three conditions to highlight the possible application of use for this study. Below is one example where the principles of some the treatments can be combined with the technique of this study:

Phobia Treatments

1. Self-help

- "The best way to get over a phobia is to expose yourself to your feared object or situation and to tolerate the anxiety until it starts to decrease." - Bupa, 2010

2. Talking Therapies

- Psychiatrist/Therapist

3. Behavioural Therapy

- One learns to tolerate the fear of exposure through relaxation techniques

4. Flooding

5. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

6. Pharmaceuticals

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Since the best way to treat phobias is through self-help exposure and behavioural therapy highlights the use of relaxation techniques, then both of these elements can be achieved through Audiovisual Therapy material. For example, if a person is phobic of spiders, then exposure could be achieved through images and video of the spider. The relaxation technique could be applied through the use of calming images and music combined with the exposure element. Additionally, as displayed by Artefact 5, it is possible for this piece to be self-generated. Therefore, the amount of exposure could be controlled by the individual. By being able to control the amount of exposure element exists in the clip, they can gradually increase the amount until the phobia is decreased enough to challenge the fear directly.

Artefact 6 - Applications for Audiovisual Therapy Use

After establishing that a therapeutic clip would be best designed using personal visual content and that technology exists to provide a template for users to create their own Audiovisual Therapy material, exploring the possible applications for its use is essential.

This direction is a result of a conversation with a lecturer, who suggested that I look further into the applications for this study. Gaining an understanding of the scope of Audiovisual Therapy is crucial to evaluating how effective the method is on the whole.

In order to determine what areas the results of these findings could be implemented, further research needs to be conducted into mental illnesses and the way they are treated. Hopefully, some treatment methods will hold similarities to the technique outlined by this study. This will allow for a comparison and merging of ideas to adapt a new approach based on the principles of Audiovisual Therapy.

Artefact 5 - Conclusions

Based on the information provided by experiment exploring existing technologies that could enhance the effectiveness of Audiovisual Therapy, these conclusions have been made:

1. By providing a format for a viewer to create their own edit, a therapeutic edit can be self-generated, however the existing technology is limited and takes too long to navigate and produce a piece.

2. By producing a format that would allow an instantaneous generation of a clip through using a random selection of images, videos, and songs from a "relaxation" folder, a person would be able to access a clip without waiting.

3. The interaction of choosing the images, however seems to increase the calming effect. This means that an instant slideshow generator may hinder this effect.

4. It seems as though a program that would allow faster creation of a clip from personally chosen images may have the best effect.

5. By allowing users to store their "relaxing" content to an online database, it would be possible to create and access one from anywhere (iPhones).

Artefact 5 - Report

Artefact 5 aimed to provide a template for a viewer to create their own edit of relaxing material. The assumption was that a viewer who creates their own edit will reach a higher level of relaxation due to their personal connection with the piece. In order to gain the understanding of the potential for Audiovisual Therapy, is it crucial to explore the technology that would benefit the effectiveness of the practice.

Artefact 5 involved instructing a participant to use the application Smilebox to create an interactive slideshow containing pictures, videos, and music. They were asked to record the amount of time it took to perform the task and given a questionnaire to complete once finished. Afterwards, they watched the “general” relaxing clip from previous artefacts and completed a similar questionnaire. The experiment was controlled by instructing the participant to watch the clip at home, with headphones, and in a room without distractions.

The initial assumption was confirmed, with the participant rating the level of relaxation for the interactive slideshow an 8 out of 10 compared to 6 out of 10 for the “general” clip. Additionally, the participant stated that using Smilebox was “very engaging” and felt “happiness” when watching the slideshow due to being able “reflect on the memories”. However, with 43 minutes to create, the participant stated, “The functionality is not great and it took too long to make.” This factor proved to be the most significant fallback of the template.

In summary, technology exists that enables a user to produce self-generated therapeutic material. But, although the selecting of content and creating the piece is part of the therapeutic process, it can also be a hindrance to its effectiveness.

Artefact 5 - Self-generated Therapeutic Slideshow

This is the piece that was created by the main participant of Artefact 5.

The participant rated the level of relaxation reached while navigating the slideshow an 8 out of 10, however stated, "The functionality is not great and it took too long to make." With 43 minutes completion time and a limited workspace (see Screenshots below), it definitely has some improvements that could be made.

Screenshot 1



With Smilebox, you can choose several templates and format options before you begin creating the Slideshow.

Screenshot 2



Once you have uploaded the content you wish to use. You can place the content of the slideshow into different sections of the page that turns as it plays. The number of images used on a single page can be controlled and the panels can be moved around. Additionally, the user can add text, or has to, as the way it is set up. The participant could not figure out how to remove the text boxes when designing the slideshow, which was a hindrance. The option for text could however, be used to send across positive messages to the viewer. These features make Smilebox engaging, thus creating a stronger bond between the user and their content.