Ethical Difficulties of Utilizing Virtual Habitats in Cyber-Psychology

Abstract

Mental Health professional are keenly shifting to the Cyber-Psychology and exploring the possibilities of virtual habitats for psychological practices and studies. Since, virtual habitats allows mental health professionals an avenue to distinguish technologies for their clients therefore its prevalence is inevitable. Social virtual habitats, which connect virtual surroundings to social networks, are also gaining popularity. Though there is a huge debate on assessing and treating psychological clients by utilizing virtual habitats. Increased use of technology in psychological practice, includes issues with maintaining electronic database and communication security, illegal access to client data, inappropriate disclosures of identifiable information, and unethical social media activities. Significantly low amount of dialogues has been taken place to address the ethical aspects of cyber-psychology, to be decisive in regard of these technologies which are being applied clinically. The progress of cyber-psychology’s ethical regulations does not match the speed of advancement of technologies. This review article discusses the ethical difficulties of using virtual habitats in cyber-psychology clinical practise, as well as the therapeutic ramifications of using virtual habitats' technology. In addition, an outline of possible solutions to the discussed issue is provided.