scholarly journals Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and In Vivo Exposure Therapy: A Preliminary Comparison of Treatment Efficacy in Small Animal Phobia

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Suso-Ribera ◽  
Javier Fernández-Álvarez ◽  
Azucena García-Palacios ◽  
Hunter G. Hoffman ◽  
Juani Bretón-López ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Treatment Efficacy ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Small Animal ◽  
Preliminary Comparison

scholarly journals Towards a Taxonomy of Feedback Factors Affecting the User Experience of Augmented Reality Exposure Therapy Systems for Small-Animal Phobias

Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (19) ◽  
pp. 1252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Ramírez-Fernández ◽  
Alberto L. Morán ◽  
Victoria Meza-Kubo
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Augmented Reality ◽  
User Experience ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Small Animal ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Animal Phobias ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure

Small-animal phobias has been treated using in vivo exposure therapies (IVET) and virtual reality exposure therapies (VRET). Recently, augmented reality for exposure therapies (ARET) has also been presented and validated as a suitable tool. In this work we identified an ensemble of feedback factors that affect the user experience of patients using ARET systems for the treatment of small-animal phobias, and propose a taxonomy to characterize this kind of applications according to the feedback factors used in the application. Further, we present a customized version of the taxonomy by considering factors/attributes specific to the visual stimuli. To the best of our knowledge, no other work has identified nor provided an explicit classification or taxonomy of factors that affect the user experience of patients using this kind of systems for the treatment of small-animal phobias. Our final aim is to two-fold: (i) provide a tool for the design, classification and evaluation of this kind of systems, and (ii) inspire others to conduct further work on this topic.

scholarly journals How Technology Influences the Therapeutic Process: Evaluation of the Patient-Therapist Relationship in Augmented Reality Exposure Therapy and In Vivo Exposure Therapy

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 505-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Wrzesien ◽  
Juana Bretón-López ◽  
Cristina Botella ◽  
Jean-Marie Burkhardt ◽  
Mariano Alcañiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Therapeutic Alliance ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Therapeutic Process ◽  
Small Animal ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Therapeutic Context

Background: New technologies have slowly become a part of psychologists’ therapeutic office. However, many therapists still have doubts about the possibility of creating a good therapeutic relationship with patients in the presence of technology. Aims: This study evaluates the development of the therapeutic alliance in individuals with small animal phobia disorder who were treated with Augmented Reality Exposure Therapy or In Vivo Exposure Therapy. Method: Twenty-two participants received an intensive session of cognitive behavioural therapy in either a technology-mediated therapeutic context or in a traditional therapeutic context. Results: The results show no significant difference for the therapeutic alliance between two conditions. Conclusions: The results seem to show that technologies such as Augmented Reality do not represent a danger to negatively influence the therapeutic alliance.

scholarly journals Experiences of Gamified and Automated Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Spider Phobia: Qualitative Study

10.2196/17807 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e17807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Lindner ◽  
Alexander Rozental ◽  
Alice Jurell ◽  
Lena Reuterskiöld ◽  
Gerhard Andersson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Spider Phobia ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
User Experiences ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure

Background Virtual reality exposure therapy is an efficacious treatment of anxiety disorders, and recent research suggests that such treatments can be automated, relying on gamification elements instead of a real-life therapist directing treatment. Such automated, gamified treatments could be disseminated without restrictions, helping to close the treatment gap for anxiety disorders. Despite initial findings suggesting high efficacy, very is little is known about how users experience this type of intervention. Objective The aim of this study was to examine user experiences of automated, gamified virtual reality exposure therapy using in-depth qualitative methods. Methods Seven participants were recruited from a parallel clinical trial comparing automated, gamified virtual reality exposure therapy for spider phobia against an in vivo exposure equivalent. Participants received the same virtual reality treatment as in the trial and completed a semistructured interview afterward. The transcribed material was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Many of the uncovered themes pertained directly or indirectly to a sense of presence in the virtual environment, both positive and negative. The automated format was perceived as natural and the gamification elements appear to have been successful in framing the experience not as psychotherapy devoid of a therapist but rather as a serious game with a psychotherapeutic goal. Conclusions Automated, gamified virtual reality exposure therapy appears to be an appealing treatment modality and to work by the intended mechanisms. Findings from the current study may guide the next generation of interventions and inform dissemination efforts and future qualitative research into user experiences.

scholarly journals The Effect of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality on Inducing Anxiety for Exposure Therapy: A Comparison Using Heart Rate Variability

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chai-Fen Tsai ◽  
Shih-Ching Yeh ◽  
Yanyan Huang ◽  
Zhengyu Wu ◽  
Jianjun Cui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Traditional Method ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Medication Treatment ◽  
Experimental Process ◽  
Physiological Reactions ◽  
Survey Questionnaires ◽  
Anxiety Questionnaire

Claustrophobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by the fear of enclosed spaces. Although medication treatment can effectively control symptoms, the effects quickly disappear once medication is discontinued. Many studies have shown that combining psychotherapy and medication is more efficacious than solely using medication. However, the weaknesses of the traditional psychotherapy are that it is time-consuming and expensive. Alternatively, vivo exposure therapy is proposed in which anxiety is gradually triggered with stimuli. Targeting claustrophobia is diagnosed using the traditional method, and this study established virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) environments consistent with claustrophobic characteristics, comparing the two using an experimental process to examine whether VR and AR environments are equally capable of triggering anxiety in participants. This study further analysed the efficacies of VR and AR by measuring changes in participant’s heart rates variability (HRV) and examining data from survey questionnaires. HRV results indicated that the proposed VR system and AR system were both able to trigger anxiety. Furthermore, the AR environment produced a stronger experience for the participants and caused physiological reactions more evident than those caused by the VR environment. Regarding the anxiety questionnaire, the participants suggested that their anxiety was significantly higher in the VR environment than in the AR environment.

scholarly journals Is Continued Improvement After Automated Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Spider Phobia Explained by Subsequent in-vivo Exposure? A First Test of the Lowered Threshold Hypothesis

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Lindner ◽  
Peter Dafgård ◽  
Alexander Miloff ◽  
Gerhard Andersson ◽  
Lena Reuterskiöld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Behavioral Approach ◽  
Symptom Reduction ◽  
Spider Phobia ◽  
Longitudinal Outcome

Consumer Virtual Reality (VR) technology offers a powerful, immersive medium for scalable dissemination of mental health interventions. Decades of research has shown VR exposure therapy to be efficacious in the treatment of anxiety disorders and that the fear reduction generalizes to real-world stimuli. Many studies also report continued improvement over time, after discontinuing VR use. The lowered threshold hypothesis states that this continued improvement is moderated by lowering the threshold to conduct subsequent in-vivo exposure. The current study is the first to formally test this hypothesis, using data from a recent trial on automated VR exposure therapy for spider phobia, in which participants (n = 49) were followed for 1 year, completing assessments 1 week, 3 and 12 months post-treatment. The assessment included validated self-report of phobia symptoms, a standardized behavioral approach test featuring a real spider, and a questionnaire for self-reporting frequency of in-vivo exposures since last assessment. Number of in-vivo exposures was found to be independently associated with greater symptom decrease in longitudinal outcome models. In sequential structural equation models, immediate post-treatment symptom reduction was associated with subsequent in-vivo exposures, which in turn was associated with continued symptom reduction. However, this applied only to self-reported phobia symptoms (not behavioral avoidance) and no associations were found past 3 months. Our findings offer preliminary, partial support for the lowered threshold hypothesis, suggesting that VR exposure interventions may benefit from including explicit in-virtuo to in-vivo transitioning components.

scholarly journals Virtual reality exposure therapy in the treatment of driving phobia

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Thomaz da Costa ◽  
Marcele Regine de Carvalho ◽  
Antonio Egidio Nardi
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trials ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy ◽  
Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure

A growing number of researches has appeared on virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) to treat anxiety disorders. The purpose of this article was to review some evidences that support the VRET efficacy to treat driving phobia. The studies were identified through computerized search (PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scielo databases) from 1984 to 2007. Some findings are promising. Anxiety/avoidance ratings declined from pre to post-treatment. VRET may be used as a first step in the treatment of driving phobia, as long as it may facilitate the in vivo exposure, thus reducing risks and high costs of such exposure. Notwithstanding, more randomized/controlled clinical trials are required to prove its efficacy.

scholarly journals Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Social Anxiety

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 152-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel K. Chesham ◽  
John M. Malouff ◽  
Nicola S. Schutte
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Psychological Problem ◽  
Imaginal Exposure ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure

AbstractSocial anxiety is a common, debilitating psychological problem. In the present study, two meta-analyses examined the efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety. The first meta-analysis tested whether virtual reality exposure therapy reduces social anxiety more than a waitlist control condition. The results of the first meta-analysis, consisting of six studies and 233 participants, showed a significant overall effect size, indicating that virtual reality exposure therapy was effective in reducing social anxiety. The second meta-analysis tested whether the standard treatment for social anxiety, which includes in vivo or imaginal exposure, leads to greater effects than virtual reality exposure therapy. The second meta-analysis, consisting of seven studies and 340 total participants, showed essentially no difference in effect sizes between virtual reality exposure and in vivo or imaginal exposure. The results of the two meta-analyses support the use of virtual reality in the treatment of social anxiety.

scholarly journals The Simulation Game—Virtual Reality Therapy for the Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (24) ◽  
pp. 13209
Author(s):  
Pasquale Caponnetto ◽  
Sergio Triscari ◽  
Marilena Maglia ◽  
Maria C. Quattropani
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Social Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Reality Therapy ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure

(1) Background: With the term Virtual reality (VR) we refer to a three-dimensional environment generated by the computer, in which subjects interact with the environment as if they were really inside it. The most used VR tools are the so-called HMD (head-mounted display) which make it possible to achieve what theorists define “direct mediated action”. The aim of our systematic review is specifically to investigate the applications of virtual reality therapy for the treatment of social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia. The most common treatment for social anxiety disorder is represented by “in vivo exposure therapy” (iVET). This method consists of exposing the participant, in a gradual and controlled way, to anxious stimuli, with the goal to change the subject’s response to the object or situation that is causing the fear. However, the main flaw of “in Vivo therapies” is represented by both the huge costs involved and the possible disturbance variables that can hinder the execution of the therapeutic treatment. Virtual reality exposure therapy could therefore, if confirmed in its effectiveness, constitute a solution to eliminate these two defects demonstrated by “in vivo exposure therapy”. The goal is to use VR as a means for the clinician to build a tailor-made path for the participant in order to make him acquire “in virtual” those skills necessary for a good adaptation in the “real” world. (2) Methods: From February 2021 until the date of submission of the article (September 2021), we conducted a systematic review aiming to verify the effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) for the treatment of SAD. (3) Results: We identified a total of 205 unique articles. Among these, 20 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility and 5 of these met the eligibility criteria and were, therefore, included in the final systematic review. (4) Conclusions: Virtual reality therapies proved to be a valid alternative to the acquisition of social skills suitable for improving the symptoms of SAD. Although there has not been a significant difference between VRET and iVET, the low costs and flexibility of VRET open up new scenarios for achieving greater psychophysical well-being.

scholarly journals Tips for Effective Implementation of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy in Phobias—A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek Krzystanek ◽  
Stanisław Surma ◽  
Małgorzata Stokrocka ◽  
Monika Romańczyk ◽  
Jacek Przybyło ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Social Phobia ◽  
Effective Treatment ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Sustained Effect ◽  
Head Mounted Displays ◽  
Specific Phobias ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure

Background: The high incidence of phobias and the limited accessibility of psychotherapy are the reasons for the search for alternative treatments that increase the availability of effective treatment. The use of virtual reality (VR) technology is an option with the potential to overcome the barriers in obtaining an effective treatment. VR exposure therapy (VRET) is based on a very similar rationale for in vivo exposure therapy. The study aimed to answer the question of how to perform exposure therapy in a virtual reality environment so that it is effective.Methods: A systematic review of the literature, using PRISMA guidelines, was performed. After analysis of 362 records, 11 research papers on agoraphobia, 28 papers on social phobia and 10 about specific phobias were selected for this review.Results: VRET in agoraphobia and social phobia is effective when performed from 8 to 12 sessions, on average once a week for at least 15 min. In turn, the treatment of specific phobias is effective even in the form of one longer session, lasting 45–180 min. Head mounted displays are an effective technology for VRET. Increasing the frequency of sessions and adding drug therapy may shorten the overall treatment duration. The effectiveness of VRET in phobias is greater without concomitant psychiatric comorbidity and on the condition of inducing and maintaining in the patient an experience of immersion in the VR environment. Long-term studies show a sustained effect of VRET in the treatment of phobias.Conclusion: A large number of studies on in VR exposure therapy in phobias allows for the formulation of some recommendations on how to perform VRET, enabling the effective treatment. The review also indicates the directions of further VRET research in the treatment of phobias.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document