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Brief virtual reality therapy for public speaking anxiety
Sandra R Harris1, Robert L Kemmerling, Max M North
1University Counseling Services, California State University, Northridge, California 91330-8217, USA. srhphd@earthlink.net
Summary
Virtual reality therapy (VRT) effectively reduced public speaking anxiety in university students. This innovative treatment shows promise for social phobia interventions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Public speaking anxiety, a form of Social Phobia, significantly impacts university students.
- Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT) is an emerging treatment modality for psychological conditions.
- Existing research suggests VRT's potential in addressing various mental health issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of VRT in mitigating public speaking anxiety among university students.
- To evaluate VRT as a therapeutic intervention for social phobia symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Eight university students underwent four weekly 15-minute VRT individual treatment sessions.
- A Wait-List control group of six students was used for comparison.
- Assessment involved self-report inventories, Subjective Units of Discomfort (SUDs), and heart rate during speaking tasks.
Main Results:
- Both self-report and physiological measures indicated a significant reduction in public speaking anxiety.
- VRT treatment demonstrated effectiveness in alleviating anxiety symptoms.
- Results align with previous studies on VRT's psychotherapeutic capabilities.
Conclusions:
- Virtual Reality Therapy is an effective psychotherapeutic modality for reducing public speaking anxiety in university students.
- Further research is recommended for younger populations to enable earlier intervention.
- VRT offers a promising avenue for treating social phobia and related anxieties.