Using Virtual Reality in Sexual Aggression Alcohol Administration Research: Opportunities and Challenges.

Objective: This paper explores methodological opportunities, challenges, and potential solutions for alcohol administration research that uses a virtual reality (VR) analogue for sexual aggression.

Method: We briefly review relevant sexual aggression, alcohol administration, and VR literatures. The strengths and limitations of different types of analogues are described.

Results: Most existing sexual aggression analogues use sexual assault scenarios which end the same way for all participants, who are then asked how they would respond in that situation. Studies using these analogues have produced valuable findings regarding alcohol's role in sexual aggression; however, one important limitation is that participants can distance themselves from the situation before responding. VR provides highly immersive behavioral analogues that require participants to make quick decisions; thus they are less likely to be impacted by social desirability. In VR, participants make multiple decisions based on the feedback they receive from their virtual dating partner and the ending depends on the choices they make. For example, VR analogues can allow participants to select dates who are intoxicated or to encourage their virtual dating partner to drink alcohol. Thus, researchers can model different patterns of responses and strategies used to attempt to obtain sex, which can then be used to develop interventions targeted for individuals with different types of risk profiles.

Conclusions: There are strengths and limitations associated with all experimental proxies. The field would benefit from greater discussion of the essential elements of sexual aggression and if these vary for different types of perpetrators and situations that involve alcohol.