NCT06086756

Virtual Reality Intervention for Speech Anxiety

The Influence of Mood on Response to Virtual Reality-Based Exposure for Public Speaking Anxiety

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 48 (actual)
• Sponsor: Boston University Charles River Campus · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy is an efficacious treatment for speech anxiety and has been delivered effectively in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The present study is designed to evaluate whether mood state moderates outcome to a brief VR exposure intervention.

Detailed description

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare outcomes of VR exposure therapy for college students with public speaking anxiety following a positive or negative mood induction. The overarching aim of the present study is to determine whether mood state prior to engaging in a brief VR exposure therapy session for public speaking anxiety impacts treatment outcomes. The study involves three phases: (1) initial screening, (2) in-person assessment and brief exposure intervention for a subset of participants with elevated public speaking anxiety, and (3) a one-week follow-up assessment conducted online. Students who choose to participate and screen high on a public speaking anxiety scale will be assigned to a positive or negative mood induction condition prior to undergoing VR based exposure therapy. Public speaking and social anxiety outcomes are measured immediately post-intervention and one week later. Researchers will compare participants given a positive mood induction to participants given a negative mood induction to see if public speaking anxiety outcomes differ.

Conditions

• Public Speaking
• Speech Anxiety

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Exposure intervention plus positive mood induction	Positive mood induction followed by a brief VR exposure session for public speaking anxiety.
BEHAVIORAL	Exposure intervention plus negative mood induction	Negative mood induction followed by a brief VR exposure session for public speaking anxiety.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-11-01
• Primary completion: 2023-12-05
• Completion: 2023-12-05
• First posted: 2023-10-17
• Last updated: 2023-12-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States