Between the Urge to Move and Control: Design and Implementation of a VR-Application for Movement Regulation in Anorexia Nervosa

Abstract

Despite decades of research on Anorexia Nervosa (AN), the underlying psychological mechanisms remain insufficiently understood, and existing therapeutic approaches often show limited effectiveness (Wollburg et al., 2013). Preliminary expert consultations indicate a demand for playful therapeutic approaches that could serve as an effective and motivating complement to conventional treatment methods. Existing Virtual Reality (VR) therapy approaches primarily focus on body image disturbances and food stimuli (Turbyne et al., 2021; Magrini et al., 2022; Behrens et al., 2023). Approaches for reducing movement urges and other therapeutic dimensions have been less explored (Paslakis et al., 2017; Halbeisen et al., 2025).

Therefore, this master’s thesis explores the potential of a virtual reality application as an additional therapeutic tool. The project involves developing a gamified VR environment that tracks body movements through a headset and additional trackers. The goal is to encourage slow, controlled, and more conscious movements while reducing restless activity. By providing immediate feedback through a scoring system, the application aims to help patients become more aware of their movement behavior and gradually learn to regulate it in everyday life.