Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Positive Psychology & VR in Special Education

Abstract

In the era of rapid change, special education is in the quest to ‘drive up standards’ with alternative intervention strategies ensuring optimal outcomes for parents, teachers and learners. Automatic thoughts, negative beliefs and implicit bias demotivate, disrupt students’ behavior, and lower the quality of learning outcomes. Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a psychological approach that employs appropriate techniques to help individuals deal with their dysfunctional schemas. The present paper aims at reviewing the research studies regarding the effectiveness of neurolinguistic programming (NLP) in challenging situations as those that people with disabilities face. In addition, we will co-examine the possible applications of NLP on virtual reality (VR) environments. The findings of this review support the idea that neuro-linguistic programming provides influencing strategies for students with special educational needs to be rapidly engaged in those states of mind that eliminate implicit bias and promote positive behaviors and academic achievement. It was found that VR is in line with NLP methodology contributing to unintended bias reduction, cultivating users’ ability to change perspective with flexibility, expecting a positive future and perceiving themselves more realistically with less symptoms of depression. This study takes the view of a new pedagogy in Special Education that integrates the overlapping areas of neurolinguistic programming, positive and social psychology and recognizes their role in developing brain rewiring and sub-conscious training techniques -even in virtual environments-.