An augmented reality system validation for the treatment of cockroach phobia
Abstract
Augmented reality (AR) is a new technology in which various virtual elements are incorporated into the user's perception of the real world. The most significant aspect of AR is that the virtual elements add relevant and helpful information to the real scene. AR shares some important characteristics with virtual reality as applied in clinical psychology. However, AR offers additional features that might be crucial for treating certain problems. An AR system designed to treat insect phobia has been used for treating phobia of small animals, and positive preliminary data about the global efficacy of the system have been obtained. However, it is necessary to determine the capacity of similar AR systems and their elements that are designed to evoke anxiety in participants; this is achieved by testing the correspondence between the inclusion of feared stimuli and the induction of anxiety. The objective of the present work is to validate whether the stimuli included in the AR-Insect Phobia system are capable of inducing anxiety in six participants diagnosed with cockroach phobia. Results support the adequacy of each element of the system in inducing anxiety in all participants.
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Preliminary evidence showed that AR can induce anxiety in participants with cockroach phobia, which is an essential requirement when conducting exposure treatment.
“Preliminary evidence showed that AR can induce anxiety in participants with cockroach phobia, which is an essential requirement when conducting exposure treatment.14”
From Effectiveness of a projection-based augmented reality exposure system in treating cockroach phobia: Study protocol of a randomised controlled trial (2023) · cites this paper as [14]
The Augmented Reality system has been shown to be useful for inducing anxiety in participants.
“This same AR system has been shown to be useful for inducing anxiety in participants [49]”
From In Vivo versus augmented reality exposure in the treatment of small animal phobia: A randomized controlled trial (2016) · cites this paper as [49]
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- Authors
- Bretón-López, J., Quero, S., Botella, C., García-Palacios, A., Baños, R. M., & Alcañiz, M.
- Affiliations
- Universidad Jaume I
- Universitat Jaume I (ES)
- Universitat de València (ES)
- Universidad Politecnica de Valencia
- Corresponding author
- Quero, Soledad
- Venue
- Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2010-05-03
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 705-710
- ISSN
- 2152-2715 (ISSN-L)
- 2152-2723
- OpenAlex
- W2077718504
- Cited by
- 52
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 5.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Augmented Reality Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- augmented reality, anxiety induction, phobia treatment, exposure therapy, system validation
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Animals, Anxiety, Cockroaches, Desensitization, Psychologic, Female, Humans, Phobic Disorders, Severity of Illness Index, User-Computer Interface, Treatment Outcome, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
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