Virtual Reality-Based Exposure With 360° Environments for Social Anxiety Disorder: Usability and Feasibility Study.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Virtual Reality Applications

Background:

• Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a prevalent mental health condition characterized by intense fear of social situations.
• Traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for SAD, while effective, faces challenges with patient adherence due to the exposure component.
• Virtual Reality (VR)-based exposure therapy is emerging as a potential alternative, but its feasibility requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the usability and feasibility of four distinct 360° virtual environments for SAD treatment.
• To assess the capacity of these VR environments to induce anxiety in individuals diagnosed with SAD.
• To measure the sense of presence experienced by participants within the virtual environments.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection.
• Ten adult participants with SAD and ten healthy controls underwent a single experimental session.
• Data were gathered through questionnaires and interviews, analyzed using a triangulation design.

Main Results:

• Participants with SAD reported significantly higher anxiety levels during VR exposure compared to controls.
• The VR environments were perceived as relevant and useful tools for exposure therapy by SAD patients.
• Lower presence scores were observed in the SAD group, with qualitative data suggesting reduced presence due to observer effects and limited interaction.

Conclusions:

• VR exposure using 360° videos appears to be a viable initial step in exposure therapy for SAD.
• Further research is warranted to explore the clinical application of VR for SAD and methods to enhance the sense of presence.
• The findings support the potential of VR as a supplementary tool in managing social anxiety disorder.