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Virtual Reality Therapy in Social Anxiety Disorder
Paul M G Emmelkamp1, Katharina Meyerbröker2, Nexhmedin Morina3
1Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands. p.m.g.emmelkamp@uva.nl.
Current Psychiatry Reports
|May 15, 2020
Summary
Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) shows promise for social anxiety disorder (SAD) treatment, but more research is needed on its efficacy as a standalone therapy compared to traditional methods.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Social anxiety disorder (SAD) significantly impacts individuals' social functioning.
- Virtual worlds offer novel therapeutic avenues for SAD treatment.
- Technological advancements are enhancing virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current methods for applying virtual worlds in SAD treatment.
- To identify key considerations for VRET in SAD therapy.
- To assess the current evidence for VRET efficacy in SAD.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on virtual reality (VR) and SAD treatment.
- Analysis of studies investigating virtual environments, avatar interactions, and virtual audiences.
- Evaluation of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing VRET with other therapeutic approaches.
Main Results:
- Promising results have been observed in technological aspects and specific VRET components.
- Few RCTs exist, and most combine VRET with cognitive interventions.
- No significant differences in efficacy were found between VRET and cognitive behavior therapy when combined.
Conclusions:
- VRET demonstrates potential for SAD treatment, with promising technological developments.
- Further research is crucial to establish VRET's efficacy as a standalone treatment for SAD.
- Understanding therapeutic processes in VRET is necessary for its integration into clinical practice.
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