Maximizing the impact of virtual reality exposure therapy for anxiety disorders
Abstract
The impact of virtual reality on access to exposure therapy and recovery from anxiety is unrealized, but an argument can be made that this is about to change. Virtual reality exposure therapy for anxiety disorders is safe, effective, and, in most cases, as effective as in vivo exposure therapy. Clinician attitudes toward virtual reality are now more positive than negative. Moderately priced virtual reality systems are commercially available. Self-guided and fully automated programs for specific fears are new, scalable, potentially game-changing developments. Future research that assesses cultural bias and external validity will position virtual reality exposure therapy to address mental health disparities, to realize its potential to increase access to effective treatment for anxiety disorders, and to improve public health.
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Self-guided VRET formats are still a novelty.
“However, self-guided VRET formats are still a novelty (Anderson and Molloy, 2020; Chard and van Zalk, 2022)”
From Virtual Reality exposure therapy in the treatment of public speaking anxiety and social anxiety disorder (2024) · cites this paper as Anderson and Molloy, 2020
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- Authors
- Anderson, P. L., & Molloy, A.
- Affiliations
- Georgia State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Anderson, Page L
- Venue
- Current Opinion in Psychology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-12
- Volume
- 36
- Pages
- 153-157
- ISSN
- 2352-250X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3093036201
- Cited by
- 38
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 0.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Opinion in Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- virtual reality exposure therapy, anxiety disorders, access to mental health care, in vivo exposure therapy, clinician attitudes, self-guided treatment, specific phobia, cultural bias, generalizability, mental health disparities
- MeSH terms
- Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Humans, Implosive Therapy, User-Computer Interface, Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
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