With the mental and physical health of young people as its central focus – aligning with one of the university’s strategic priorities – the project aims to develop innovative strategies to reduce the risk of eating disorders (EDs) in adolescents and young adults through the use of mixed reality and a Dialectical Behaviour Therapy approach.
The research team is led by Bruno Porras and includes the participation of researchers and lecturers from the Department of Psychology and other researchers from the BrainXRLab research group of UIC Barcelona. In addition, the project is being carried out in collaboration with a research team from the Instituto Tecnológico de Informática in Valencia, led by Patricia Pons.
As Porras explains, "Mixed reality allows us to create a safe and controlled environment in which participants can practise emotional regulation strategies through immersive and interactive experiences. It is a tool that not only enhances engagement in therapy but also offers a unique opportunity to address emotional dysregulation in a personalised way."
The research will be structured in two phases: the first will focus on developing an initial prototype of the PrevED MR intervention, designed based on interviews and focus groups with young people, families, teachers, and ED experts. During this phase, usability, user experience, and the feelings that participants experience in the immersive environments will be evaluated.
The second phase will consist of a pilot study involving 72 adolescents and young adults at risk of developing an ED over a five-week period. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: an experimental group receiving the PrevED MR intervention and a passive control group.
Eating disorders pose a significant challenge to young people’s mental health, particularly affecting adolescents and young adults in critical stages of development. In this regard, mixed reality-based strategies, such as those explored in this study led by Bruno Porras, offer a promising perspective for improving mental well-being and preventing EDs. The use of avatars capable of reflecting users’ emotional states in real time contributes to a more dynamic and effective therapeutic experience.
"Our goal is to demonstrate that immersive technology can enhance therapeutic engagement and the effectiveness of preventive mental health interventions. We hope this innovative approach will pave the way for new prevention strategies in educational and community settings," adds Porras.
This competitive project, promoted by the Department of Psychology, strengthens UIC Barcelona’s position as a benchmark in interdisciplinary research and the development of strategies to safeguard and improve the overall health of people, particularly among young people.
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