Emerging Applications of Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence in Schema Therapy: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Digital tools have become increasingly integrated into contemporary psychological practice, responding to the growing demand for accessible, scalable, and experiential mental health interventions. Within this evolving landscape, Schema Therapy represents a promising field for technological enhancement due to its emphasis on experiential techniques, mode work, and the restructuring of deeply rooted cognitive-emotional patterns. Objectives: This study aimed to map and characterize how Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence technologies are currently being used or proposed to support innovation in the application of Schema Therapy. Methods: A scoping review was conducted with searches performed across five major databases. Search strategies were adapted to each database, and records were screened according to inclusion/exclusion criteria. Results: Four records met eligibility criteria, revealing an emerging yet limited body of work dedicated to theoretical and experimental innovation in this area. Virtual Reality and metaverse-based interventions were proposed to create immersive, ecologically valid environments that facilitate emotional reprocessing, mode restructuring, and reductions in self-criticism, key mechanisms within ST. AI tools have demonstrated potential for large-scale identification of Early Maladaptive Schemas, enabling new forms of assessment and case conceptualization within online mental health contexts. Conclusions: No current evidence is sufficient to establish the efficacy of combining digital technologies such as Virtual Reality or Artificial Intelligence with Schema Therapy. The available literature remains limited and includes different stages of research development, from conceptual proposals and protocols to empirical studies. The identified applications primarily use these technologies as tools to support established Schema Therapy procedures rather than to modify its theoretical concepts or techniques. Although the findings indicate possible directions for technologically supported interventions, the current evidence is insufficient to establish their clinical effectiveness. Further empirical research is needed to evaluate their effects, feasibility, and clinical use within Schema Therapy.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Healthcare, 2026 · DOI ↗