Associations between psychological distress, early adverse experiences, and choice of avatars in an immersive virtual world.

Virtual reality environments (VREs) are an emerging modality consisting of computer-generated worlds. Players in VREs can choose to create representative avatars. Such choices may reflect beliefs related to identity and psychological functioning. The aim of the present study was to examine associations between psychological distress, exposure to adverse childhood experiences, and choice of avatar in an immersive virtual environment. We recruited 436 participants in a VRE. Participants completed the Early Traumatic Inventory Self Report-Short Form and the Brief Symptom Inventory. We evaluated between-group differences (selection of child avatar, parent avatar, or "other" avatar, the control group) in psychological distress and traumatic childhood experiences. Individuals who selected child avatars experienced a higher degree of psychological distress and childhood trauma, especially sexual abuse, as compared to individuals who selected other avatars. Individuals who selected parent avatars were more likely to have experienced psychological distress as compared to controls. Avatar choice may reflect users' identities and psychological functioning. VREs may provide safe environments for a "do over" of adverse childhood experiences. Future research should explore VREs as venues to treat trauma and psychological distress. • Individuals who experienced childhood trauma, especially sexual abuse, were more likely to select child avatars in a virtual reality environment • Individuals who experience greater degrees of psychological distress were more likely to select child avatars in a virtual reality environment • Results suggest that avatar choice may reflect elements of psychological functioning and the influence of childhood trauma and be meaningful for the individual • Future directions could involve the development of psychological interventions to be implemented in a virtual reality environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]