Slide
Centre Interdisciplinaire
de Recherche et d’Innovation
en Cybersécurité et Société
de Recherche et d’Innovation
en Cybersécurité et Société
1.
Bouchard, S.; Pessanha, C. Torres; Tober, K. H.
In: Annual Review of CyberTherapy and Telemedicine, vol. 23, pp. 70–75, 2025, ISSN: 15548716 (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: adult, agoraphobia, article, Client Satisfaction Questionnaire, cognitive behavioral therapy, discriminant validity, female, generalized anxiety disorder, human, major clinical study, male, panic, Patient Satisfaction, psychological rating scale, psychotherapy, questionnaire, social interaction, Telemedicine, telepresence, Telepresence in Videoconference Scale, Telepresence Videoconference Scale, telepsychotherapy, test retest reliability, Test-retest reliability, videoconference, videoconferencing
@article{bouchard_assessing_2025,
title = {Assessing telepresence when delivering psychotherapy in videoconference: relevance and test-retest reliability of the Telepresence Videoconference Scale},
author = {S. Bouchard and C. Torres Pessanha and K. H. Tober},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105023903509&partnerID=40&md5=46afce3aea732a9501fc3a1096d67673},
issn = {15548716 (ISSN)},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-01-01},
journal = {Annual Review of CyberTherapy and Telemedicine},
volume = {23},
pages = {70–75},
abstract = {The increasing use of psychotherapy delivered via videoconference requires sound methods to assess clients' subjective experiences. Telepresence, defined as the feeling of being together in an online session despite the actual physical distance, is receiving increased attention as an important concept. The Telepresence in Videoconference Scale (TVS) assesses client telepresence during psychotherapy sessions and has been initially validated. However, its stability across sessions and its independence from the concept of treatment satisfaction need further evaluation. This paper presents an overview of studies using the TVS and examines the psychometric properties of the TVS in 65 adults (mean age = 39.9},
keywords = {adult, agoraphobia, article, Client Satisfaction Questionnaire, cognitive behavioral therapy, discriminant validity, female, generalized anxiety disorder, human, major clinical study, male, panic, Patient Satisfaction, psychological rating scale, psychotherapy, questionnaire, social interaction, Telemedicine, telepresence, Telepresence in Videoconference Scale, Telepresence Videoconference Scale, telepsychotherapy, test retest reliability, Test-retest reliability, videoconference, videoconferencing},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The increasing use of psychotherapy delivered via videoconference requires sound methods to assess clients' subjective experiences. Telepresence, defined as the feeling of being together in an online session despite the actual physical distance, is receiving increased attention as an important concept. The Telepresence in Videoconference Scale (TVS) assesses client telepresence during psychotherapy sessions and has been initially validated. However, its stability across sessions and its independence from the concept of treatment satisfaction need further evaluation. This paper presents an overview of studies using the TVS and examines the psychometric properties of the TVS in 65 adults (mean age = 39.9
2.
Quintana, P.; Bouchard, S.; Botella, C.; Robillard, G.; Serrano, B.; Rodriguez-Ortega, A.; Ernst, M. Torp; Rey, B.; Berthiaume, M.; Corno, G.
In: Journal of Clinical Medicine, vol. 12, no. 13, 2023, ISSN: 20770383 (ISSN), (Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: adult, anxiety assessment, article, Canada, clinical article, controlled study, cultural differences, ecological validity, exposure, female, generalized social anxiety, human, immersion, male, multicenter study, psychotherapy, self report, social anxiety, social interaction, social phobia, Spain, virtual reality, virtual reality exposure therapy
@article{quintana_engaging_2023,
title = {Engaging in Awkward Social Interactions in a Virtual Environment Designed for Exposure-Based Psychotherapy for People with Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder: An International Multisite Study},
author = {P. Quintana and S. Bouchard and C. Botella and G. Robillard and B. Serrano and A. Rodriguez-Ortega and M. Torp Ernst and B. Rey and M. Berthiaume and G. Corno},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85165033932&doi=10.3390%2fjcm12134525&partnerID=40&md5=7b0f59b46ff7680611d5a64e18909651},
doi = {10.3390/jcm12134525},
issn = {20770383 (ISSN)},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine},
volume = {12},
number = {13},
publisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)},
abstract = {The effectiveness of in virtuo exposure-based treatment of performance-only social anxiety disorder (SAD) has been demonstrated in several studies. However, few studies have validated virtual environments with participants suffering from generalized SAD. The goal of this study is to confirm the potential of a virtual environment in inducing anxiety in adults suffering from generalized SAD, compared to adults without SAD, when engaged in awkward social interactions. Differences between participants from two different countries were also explored. The sample consisted of 15 participants with SAD from Canada, 17 participants without SAD from Canada, 16 participants with SAD from Spain, and 21 participants without SAD from Spain. All participants were immersed in a control virtual environment and in an experimental virtual environment considered potentially anxiety-inducing for individuals with generalized SAD. As hypothesized, results showed that the experimental virtual environment induced a higher level of anxiety than the control environment among participants with SAD compared to those without SAD. The impact on anxiety of each socially threatening task performed during the experimental immersion was statistically significant. In terms of anxiety responses, no significant differences were found between participants from Canada and Spain. However, spatial presence and ecological validity were higher in Canadians than in Spaniards. Unwanted negative side effects induced by immersions in virtual reality were higher in the SAD group. This study highlights the importance for therapists to engage people with SAD in clinically relevant tasks while immersed in VR psychotherapeutic applications. © 2023 by the authors.},
note = {Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)},
keywords = {adult, anxiety assessment, article, Canada, clinical article, controlled study, cultural differences, ecological validity, exposure, female, generalized social anxiety, human, immersion, male, multicenter study, psychotherapy, self report, social anxiety, social interaction, social phobia, Spain, virtual reality, virtual reality exposure therapy},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The effectiveness of in virtuo exposure-based treatment of performance-only social anxiety disorder (SAD) has been demonstrated in several studies. However, few studies have validated virtual environments with participants suffering from generalized SAD. The goal of this study is to confirm the potential of a virtual environment in inducing anxiety in adults suffering from generalized SAD, compared to adults without SAD, when engaged in awkward social interactions. Differences between participants from two different countries were also explored. The sample consisted of 15 participants with SAD from Canada, 17 participants without SAD from Canada, 16 participants with SAD from Spain, and 21 participants without SAD from Spain. All participants were immersed in a control virtual environment and in an experimental virtual environment considered potentially anxiety-inducing for individuals with generalized SAD. As hypothesized, results showed that the experimental virtual environment induced a higher level of anxiety than the control environment among participants with SAD compared to those without SAD. The impact on anxiety of each socially threatening task performed during the experimental immersion was statistically significant. In terms of anxiety responses, no significant differences were found between participants from Canada and Spain. However, spatial presence and ecological validity were higher in Canadians than in Spaniards. Unwanted negative side effects induced by immersions in virtual reality were higher in the SAD group. This study highlights the importance for therapists to engage people with SAD in clinically relevant tasks while immersed in VR psychotherapeutic applications. © 2023 by the authors.
3.
Jacques, C.; Cloutier, V.; Bouchard, S.
In: Annual Review of CyberTherapy and Telemedicine, vol. 2018, no. 16, pp. 148–152, 2018, ISSN: 15548716, (Publisher: Interactive Media Institute).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: adult, article, autism, human, male, pilot study, psychoeducation, social cognition, social competence, social interaction, social interaction test, social learning, social phobia, virtual reality
@article{jacques_decoding_2018,
title = {The “Decoding of social interactions in virtual reality” tasks for autism spectrum people: Development of an intervention protocol and pilot testing},
author = {C. Jacques and V. Cloutier and S. Bouchard},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85067871545&partnerID=40&md5=e33888550b28cf41db490b1f1d716097},
issn = {15548716},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
journal = {Annual Review of CyberTherapy and Telemedicine},
volume = {2018},
number = {16},
pages = {148–152},
publisher = {Interactive Media Institute},
abstract = {Virtual reality (VR) could provide an opportunity to engage people with autism in complex social interactions and improve their social skills. Our team developed a psychoeducationl program, named the Decoding Social Interaction Task in VR (DSITinVR), and this pilot study aims at exploring whether people with autism can improve their social cognition with DSITinVR as well as improving their social skills. Three AS adult males without intellectual disability were immersed in a 6-wall CAVE-Like system. Pre-and post-application of the program was assessed by the interviewer, participants and parents to document social decoding, social skills and social anxiety. Following exposition to DSITinVR, participants showed improvement in decoding social interactive situations. However, they showed less change in social skills and social anxiety. Based on the assessment of participants, parents and the interviewer, suggestions for modifying the program are proposed, including more situations dedicated to social-skills teaching, planned practice of skills between sessions, and reframing increase in awareness to avoid sensitization. © 2018, Interactive Media Institute. All rights reserved.},
note = {Publisher: Interactive Media Institute},
keywords = {adult, article, autism, human, male, pilot study, psychoeducation, social cognition, social competence, social interaction, social interaction test, social learning, social phobia, virtual reality},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Virtual reality (VR) could provide an opportunity to engage people with autism in complex social interactions and improve their social skills. Our team developed a psychoeducationl program, named the Decoding Social Interaction Task in VR (DSITinVR), and this pilot study aims at exploring whether people with autism can improve their social cognition with DSITinVR as well as improving their social skills. Three AS adult males without intellectual disability were immersed in a 6-wall CAVE-Like system. Pre-and post-application of the program was assessed by the interviewer, participants and parents to document social decoding, social skills and social anxiety. Following exposition to DSITinVR, participants showed improvement in decoding social interactive situations. However, they showed less change in social skills and social anxiety. Based on the assessment of participants, parents and the interviewer, suggestions for modifying the program are proposed, including more situations dedicated to social-skills teaching, planned practice of skills between sessions, and reframing increase in awareness to avoid sensitization. © 2018, Interactive Media Institute. All rights reserved.
4.
Baus, O.; Bouchard, S.
The sense of olfaction: Its characteristics and its possible applications in virtual environments Journal Article
In: Journal of Cyber Therapy and Rehabilitation, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 31–50, 2010, ISSN: 17849934.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Arousal, article, brain region, conditioning, drug dependence, emotionality, human, Learning, leisure, Memory, mental function, neuroanatomy, odor, olfactory discrimination, olfactory system, pain assessment, posttraumatic stress disorder, sex difference, smelling, social interaction, virtual reality, visual stimulation
@article{baus_sense_2010,
title = {The sense of olfaction: Its characteristics and its possible applications in virtual environments},
author = {O. Baus and S. Bouchard},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-78650054636&partnerID=40&md5=959d26e8022423056fe9a9345b5ba084},
issn = {17849934},
year = {2010},
date = {2010-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Cyber Therapy and Rehabilitation},
volume = {3},
number = {1},
pages = {31–50},
abstract = {Virtual environments (VE) aim to reproduce life-like experiences, but despite indications that the olfactory sense plays a significant role in everyday life, the integration of olfactory stimuli in VEs is rare. The aim of this paper is to review the literature on olfaction and its potential applications in Virtual Reality (VR). Indications supporting the integration of odorants in VR include the privileged connections between the olfactory system and the brain regions involved in the processing of virtual stimuli used in clinical applications, as well as the interaction between odors, the other senses, and various psychological processes. Presently, smells are mostly integrated in VR applications for post-traumatic stress disorder and drug addiction, but further uses of odorants in VEs could include pain distraction, various training scenarios, such as emergency response and relaxation, and investigations of multi-sensory integration. ©Virtual Reality Medical Institute.},
keywords = {Arousal, article, brain region, conditioning, drug dependence, emotionality, human, Learning, leisure, Memory, mental function, neuroanatomy, odor, olfactory discrimination, olfactory system, pain assessment, posttraumatic stress disorder, sex difference, smelling, social interaction, virtual reality, visual stimulation},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Virtual environments (VE) aim to reproduce life-like experiences, but despite indications that the olfactory sense plays a significant role in everyday life, the integration of olfactory stimuli in VEs is rare. The aim of this paper is to review the literature on olfaction and its potential applications in Virtual Reality (VR). Indications supporting the integration of odorants in VR include the privileged connections between the olfactory system and the brain regions involved in the processing of virtual stimuli used in clinical applications, as well as the interaction between odors, the other senses, and various psychological processes. Presently, smells are mostly integrated in VR applications for post-traumatic stress disorder and drug addiction, but further uses of odorants in VEs could include pain distraction, various training scenarios, such as emergency response and relaxation, and investigations of multi-sensory integration. ©Virtual Reality Medical Institute.