Extended reality (XR) is increasingly used in behavioral health for assessment, intervention, behavior change, and skill development. Three research communities are advancing this work in parallel: clinical and behavioral scientists using XR cue reactivity paradigms to measure psychophysiological responses; XR and HCI researchers designing embodied systems to support health behavior change; and participatory designers co-creating XR tools with clinical and youth populations.
These communities rarely share a venue. BehavXR'26 brings them together for the first time at ISMAR, with a methodology-forward agenda to develop shared standards, language, and design frameworks for XR behavioral health research. The workshop is structured around three pillars:
Signal integration, synchronization, and reporting standards for cue reactivity and psychophysiological assessment in XR.
Avatar-based interventions, future-self continuity, and game-driven XR experiences that support measurable behavior change.
Participatory design methods, ethical frameworks, and ecological validity for XR tools developed with clinical and youth populations.
BehavXR'26 is a half-day hybrid workshop (approximately 3.5 hours) conducted primarily in person in Bari, Italy, with remote participation supported. The format goes beyond a mini-conference: curated paper sessions are combined with a cross-pillar discussion panel and a structured community output activity.
ⓘ The agenda below is tentative and subject to change.
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 1:00–1:20 | Opening & Keynote |
| 1:20–2:00 |
Session 1: Sensing the Body
Papers on behavioral health sensing. 5–8 min presentation + 2 min Q&A each.
|
| 2:00–2:40 |
Session 2: Changing Behavior
Papers on health behavior change interventions and game technology. 5–8 min + 2 min Q&A each.
|
| 2:40–2:55 | Break |
| 2:55–3:35 |
Session 3: Designing Responsibly
Papers on co-design methodology, ethics, and clinical translation. 5–8 min + 2 min Q&A each.
|
| 3:35–4:10 | Cross-Pillar Discussion Panel |
| 4:10–4:30 |
Community Output Session
Facilitated breakout producing a draft BehavXR Minimum Reporting Checklist — a shared standard for behavioral health XR research, to be circulated post-workshop for community refinement and publication.
|
ISMAR 2026 Adjunct Proceedings via IEEE Xplore.