VRforDrugRehabilitation: Developing and Using Virtual Reality Technology for Rehabilitation of Drug Users in Probation Service Erasmus Project

Project Title

VRforDrugRehabilitation: Developing and Using Virtual Reality Technology for
Rehabilitation of Drug Users in Probation Service

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Post-conflict/post-disaster rehabilitation; Health and wellbeing

Project Summary

According to European Drug Report in 2018,in the global context,Europe is an important market for drugs,supplied both from domestic production and trafficking from other world regions.Developments in European countries are both influenced by and impact on global drug trends.According to Council of Europe’s latest report there are around 1.6 million persons under the supervision or care of probation services in Europe,representing an average rate of 219 probationers per 100,000 inhabitants.It is well documented the high prevalence of drug use among probationers and the wider offender population.In fact,large proportions of people who enter criminal justice systems and prison have a history of drug use and injecting.Also,many of these people continue to use drugs while they are in prison and for some,this can be an environment where they switch to more harmful patterns of drug use.Research also shows that ex-inmates return to environments that strongly trigger relapse to drug use and put them at risk for overdose.Thus,prison and probation settings are important settings for provision of responses addressing drug use and its harms to health(imprisonment is associated with higher rates of bloodborne virus infection among injecting drug users),prison safety and security,as well as the broader community through increased re-offending,infections on release.In regards to treatment options,research shows that new technologies:VR,augmented reality,video games hold promise to support and enhance individuals in addiction treatment and recovery.Use of VR-immersive,multi-sensory and viewer-centred 3-dimensional computer-generated environments-is gaining considerable attention as a research,education,treatment tool.One of VR’s potentials is to expand the cue reactivity methodology.It is well established that drug-dependent people react to stimuli associated with drug use),in form of increased craving,physiological arousal,drug-seeking behaviours-known as cue reactivity,often used to expose users to their addiction product/stimuli in order to measure their craving level,psychology and mood states at the moment of exposure.However,traditional cue methods(e.g.laboratory-based bars)present different limitations;as issues of repeatability and control;variation between labs and subjects;costs;time to conduct experiments;difficulty changing the settings or contexts;availability of actors or extras;issues of confidentiality,safety and liability;and space needed for creating bars in lab.By using VR technology,all of these issues can be efficiently addressed.In light of the above,researchers are now focusing on the development of VR-based cue exposure therapy,combining cognitive behavioural treatment/relapse prevention training with exposure and skill practice in VR-based environments.Using lifelike scenarios in virtual environments,users are repeatedly exposed to cues;stimuli and encouraged to ignore the craving response or use a coping response.The project envisions developing a VR tool for drug addiction rehabilitation(rehab) as an adjunct to cue exposure therapy for people under the supervision/probation services.The project seeks to develop a rehab model for drug user probationers(between18-30 ages)by using VR technology.It targets increasing number of drug users among young people,since they tend to be more easily motivated to engage in treatment and rehab programs,in comparison to elder drug users.The project aims to reveal these outputs:research and proposal of the best structure and implementation methodology for drug users in rehab,creation of a Virtual Reality(VR)software program for drug addiction rehab,developing methodology of using VR technology for drug users and adapting to current rehab in probation system as a new methodology.As the outputs and results of the project:Research and proposal of the best structure and implementation methodology by using technology for drug users in rehab, Creation of a Virtual Reality software program for drug addiction rehab, developing methodology of using VR technology for drug users in probation system and adapting to rehabilitation process in probation system as new methodology, Charting A New Trainer Training for youth worker experts about how to use VR technology for drug addiction rehabilitation, Development of VRforDrugRehabilitation Pilot Program.Totally 12 probation experts will learn the methodology by 4 step-trainings and 80 young drug user probationers will be beneficiaries.At European and international levels,the methodology learned from VRforDrugRehabilitation model will be able to enhance European debate and inform policy makers on problems that establishment now face with implementation of technology and possible responses to enhance such practices.At national level, project foresees the organizations in partner countries providing the VRforDrugRehabilitation model to enhance in probation directorates with stakeholders and decision-makers.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 188898 Eur

Project Coordinator

District Governorate of Torbali & Country: TR

Project Partners

• EGE UNIVERSITY
• QUALIFY JUST – IT SOLUTIONS AND CONSULTING LDA
• IZMIR DENETIMLI SERBESTLIK MUDURLUGU
• European Strategies Consulting
• Savunmasan Arge Silah Sanayi Yazılım Robot Teknolojileri Motorlu Araçlar Ticaret Limited