PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Exploring a novel approach to mental health technology, this study illuminates the intricate interplay between exteroception (the perception of the external world), and interoception (the perception of the internal world). Drawing on principles of sensory substitution, we investigated how interoceptive signals, particularly respiration, could be conveyed through exteroceptive modalities, namely vision and hearing. To this end, we developed a unique, immersive multisensory environment that translates respiratory signals in real-time into dynamic visual and auditory stimuli. The system was evaluated by employing a battery of various psychological assessments, with the findings indicating a significant increase in participants\' interoceptive sensibility and an enhancement of the state of flow, signifying immersive and positive engagement with the experience. Furthermore, a correlation between these two variables emerged, revealing a bidirectional enhancement between the state of flow and interoceptive sensibility. Our research is the first to present a sensory substitution approach for substituting between interoceptive and exteroceptive senses, and specifically as a transformative method for mental health interventions, paving the way for future research.
摘要：
探索心理健康技术的新方法，这项研究阐明了外在感受(对外部世界的感知)之间的复杂相互作用，和内部感受（对内部世界的感知）。借鉴感官替代原则，我们研究了交互感受信号，尤其是呼吸,可以通过外在的方式传达，即视觉和听觉。为此,我们开发了一个独特的，身临其境的多感官环境，将呼吸信号实时转化为动态的视觉和听觉刺激。通过使用一系列各种心理评估来评估该系统，研究结果表明，参与者的相互感受感显著增加，流动状态增强，意味着沉浸式和积极的参与体验。此外，这两个变量之间的相关性出现了，揭示了流动状态和感知力之间的双向增强。我们的研究是第一个提出了一种感官替代方法，用于在内部感觉和外部感觉之间进行替代，特别是作为心理健康干预的变革方法，为未来的研究铺平了道路。
