Can Code Outlove Blood? An LLM-based VR Experience to Prompt Reflection on Parental Verbal Abuse

Abstract: Parental verbal abuse leaves lasting emotional impacts, yet current therapeutic approaches often lack immersive self-reflection opportunities. To address this, we developed a VR experience powered by LLMs to foster reflection on parental verbal abuse. Participants with relevant experiences engage in a dual-phase VR experience: first assuming the role of a verbally abusive parent, interacting with an LLM portraying a child, then observing the LLM reframing abusive dialogue into warm, supportive expressions as a nurturing parent. A qualitative study with 12 participants showed that the experience encourages reflection on their past experiences and fosters supportive emotions. However, these effects vary with participants' personal histories, emphasizing the need for greater personalization in AI-driven emotional support. This study explores the use of LLMs in immersive environment to promote emotional reflection, offering insights into the design of AI-driven emotional support systems.