Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 2, 2025

Using a Virtual Store As a Research Tool to Investigate Consumer In-store Behavior
09:17

Using a Virtual Store As a Research Tool to Investigate Consumer In-store Behavior

Published on: July 24, 2017

11.4K

Characterizing Consumer Smartphone Apps for Virtual Reality-Based Exposure Therapy: Content Analysis.

Charvi Sunkara1, Rajvi Thakkar1, Triton Ong2

  • 1Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States.

Journal of Medical Internet Research
|April 14, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

Modeling in Therapy01:26

Modeling in Therapy

130
Modeling, a key technique in therapy, uses observational learning to help clients acquire and practice new skills by watching therapists demonstrate desired behaviors. This approach, rooted in Albert Bandura's concept of vicarious learning, plays a significant role in therapeutic interventions for various psychological conditions, including social anxiety, ADHD, and depression.
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
130

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Examining the Efficacy of a Telehealth-Based Virtual Reality Clinic in Treating Adults With Specific Phobia: Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

JMIR formative research·2026
Same author

Social vulnerability, lower broadband internet access, and rurality associated with lower telemedicine use in U.S. Counties.

JAMIA open·2025
Same author

Mental Health Care Guidelines for Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review.

JMIR mental health·2025
Same author

Examining a Telemedicine-Based Virtual Reality Clinic in Treating Adults With Specific Phobia: Protocol for a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial.

JMIR research protocols·2025
Same author

Mental Health Providers' Challenges and Solutions in Prescribing Over Telemedicine: Content Analysis of Semistructured Interviews.

JMIR human factors·2025
Same author

Telemedicine Prescribing by US Mental Health Care Providers: National Cross-Sectional Survey.

JMIR formative research·2025

Accessible smartphone apps show promise for virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) for phobias. While not clinically designed, some apps offer accessible, low-cost virtual reality experiences for potential therapeutic use.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Digital Health

Background:

  • In vivo exposure therapy is effective for phobias but often impractical.
  • Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) offers a viable alternative by overcoming practical barriers.
  • The landscape of mobile VRET applications remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the availability and features of smartphone applications suitable for clinical VRET.
  • To identify potential tools for augmenting phobia treatment through mobile VRET.

Main Methods:

  • Content analysis of virtual reality smartphone apps from Google Play Store and Apple App Store (March 2020).
  • Inclusion criteria focused on publicly available apps with potential VRET utility.
Keywords:
VRappsclinical evaluationconsumer appscontent analysisexposure therapymHealth appsmobile phone appsphobiasmartphone appssmartphonestreatmentvirtual reality

More Related Videos

The use of Biofeedback in Clinical Virtual Reality: The INTREPID Project
06:52

The use of Biofeedback in Clinical Virtual Reality: The INTREPID Project

Published on: November 12, 2009

15.3K
Mobile Game-based Virtual Reality Program for Upper Extremity Stroke Rehabilitation
05:52

Mobile Game-based Virtual Reality Program for Upper Extremity Stroke Rehabilitation

Published on: March 8, 2018

18.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 2, 2025

Using a Virtual Store As a Research Tool to Investigate Consumer In-store Behavior
09:17

Using a Virtual Store As a Research Tool to Investigate Consumer In-store Behavior

Published on: July 24, 2017

11.4K
The use of Biofeedback in Clinical Virtual Reality: The INTREPID Project
06:52

The use of Biofeedback in Clinical Virtual Reality: The INTREPID Project

Published on: November 12, 2009

15.3K
Mobile Game-based Virtual Reality Program for Upper Extremity Stroke Rehabilitation
05:52

Mobile Game-based Virtual Reality Program for Upper Extremity Stroke Rehabilitation

Published on: March 8, 2018

18.9K
  • 84 apps were analyzed for content, cost, ratings, and clinical utility features.

    • Main Results:

    • The analysis included 84 apps, with common themes including water/weather (29.8%), heights (28.6%), and animals (27.4%).
    • Over half of the apps were visually abstract (53.5%), and most were free (57.1%) or free-to-try (26.2%).
    • No apps advertised HIPAA compliance, data monitoring, clinician control, or explicit clinical development.

    Conclusions:

    • No reviewed apps were explicitly designed for phobia therapy.
    • 16 apps were identified as potential candidates for further investigation due to accessibility, relevant stimuli, cost, and user ratings.
    • Further formal evaluation is necessary to determine the clinical utility of these accessible VRET solutions for phobia treatment.