Efficacy of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Scripts for Social Phobia
Social Anxiety Disorder
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Social Anxiety Disorder focused on measuring Virtual reality, Exposure therapy, Self-help
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Presence of Social Anxiety Disorder based on the Social Phobia Diagnostic Questionnaire self-report or Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview
- Current student at the Pennsylvania State University or a community-dwelling adult who expressed interest to participate through the PSU StudyFinder portal
- Expressed interest to seek treatment
- Currently not receiving treatment from a mental health professional
- Able to provide consent
- Proficient in English
Exclusion Criteria:
- Below age 18
- Failure to meet any of above inclusion criteria
- Presence of suicidality, mania, psychosis, or substance use disorders
Sites / Locations
- The Pennsylvania State UniversityRecruiting
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
No Intervention
Virtual reality exposure therapy
Waiting list
Participants were allowed to choose one of two themes. For both themes, each scene was developed to be more anxiety-provoking as the VRE progressed. Greater anxiety-inducing scenes had interviewers and other actors who displayed less compassionate, friendly, humorous, and pleasant verbal and non-verbal behaviors and demeanors to elicit elevated anxiety (Carless & Imber, 2007). Also, a virtual therapist was embedded within the VRE. It functioned to coach the participant through each distinct scene by orienting and prompting them to the exposure therapy task(s), continually conveying core principles of exposure therapy, and repeating the instructions if the participant was not responsive within five seconds. Each scene started with a paused video, during which participants were oriented by the virtual therapist to the context.
Participants started treatment 2-4 weeks post-randomization.