The DOI matches its Crossref record; 55 of the 57 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Interfaces That Heal: Coupling Real and Virtual Objects to Treat Spider Phobia
Abstract
Tactile augmentation is a simple, safe, inexpensive interaction technique for adding physical texture and force feedback cues to virtual objects. This study explored whether virtual reality (VR) exposure therapy reduces fear of spiders and whether giving patients the illusion of physically touching the virtual spider increases treatment effectiveness. Eight clinically phobic students were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups-(a) no treatment, (b) VR with no tactile cues, or (c) VR with a physically "touchable" virtual spider-as were 28 nonclinically phobic students. Participants in the 2 VR treatment groups received three 1-hr exposure therapy sessions resulting in clinically significant drops in behavioral avoidance and subjective fear ratings. The tactile augmentation group showed the greatest progress on behavioral measures. On average, participants in this group, who only approached to 5.5 ft of a live spider on the pretreatment Behavioral Avoidance Test (Garcia-Palacios, 2002), were able to approach to 6 in. of the spider after VR exposure treatment and did so with much less anxiety (see www.vrpain.com for details). Practical implications are discussed.
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“Similarly, data from the present study also coincide with findings from studies where VR was used to treat SP (animal subtype), such as those by [31, 33–35,75,76]; where VR was effective in reducing the fear and avoidance experienced by the participants.”
From In Vivo versus augmented reality exposure in the treatment of small animal phobia: A randomized controlled trial (2016) · cites this paper as [34]
In the citing paper
“Although early research suggested that tactile augmentation of VRET increases the sense of presence, perceived realism, and led to better treatment outcomes [49], subsequent research has failed to replicate these findings [50], leaving an open question to be examined in future research.”
From Experiences of gamified and automated virtual reality exposure therapy for spider phobia: qualitative study (2020) · cites this paper as [49]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Hoffman, H. G., Garcia-Palacios, A., Carlin, A., Furness III, T. A., & Botella-Arbona, C.
- ORCID
- Hoffman, Hunter G.
- Venue
- International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2003-10
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 283-300
- ISSN
- 1044-7318 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-7590
- OpenAlex
- W2155384729
- Cited by
- 144
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 10.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Keywords
- spider phobia, virtual reality exposure therapy, haptic feedback, virtual objects, behavioral avoidance, phobia treatment
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