NCT04975854

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Acrophobia

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Versus No Treatment for Acrophobia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 43 (actual)
• Sponsor: National Institute of Mental Health, Czech Republic · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 64 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The aim of this study is to examine the efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) as a treatment for specific phobia (acrophobia). The study will randomly assign 42 participants with acrophobia to one of two conditions: a) the experimental condition (consisting of 3 sessions of virtual reality exposure) or b) a control condition. Both groups will receive short information session about general principles of exposure therapy before the start of the study. After the end of the study, the waitlist group will be invited to attend the short version (one or two-sessions) of the VRET. Both groups will receive a final follow-up questionnaires 2 months after the last session.

Conditions

• Specific Phobia
• Acrophobia
• Fear of Heights
• Anxiety Disorders

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Exposure Therapy (Virtual Reality)	Virtual reality scenarios consists of increasingly intense exposures to phobic stimuli (e.g., looking over railings from various floor levels) with the support of the therapist. The goal of VRET is sufficient reduction in anxiety to allow the patients to expose themselves to heights in everyday situations.
OTHER	Information Session	This includes 20-minute information session about general principles of exposure therapy before the start of the study.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-07-13
• Primary completion: 2022-06-17
• Completion: 2022-06-17
• First posted: 2021-07-26
• Last updated: 2024-05-16

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Czechia