Cited by 46Virtual Reality Applications and ImpactsAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesDigital Mental Health Interventions

Tips for effective implementation of virtual reality exposure therapy in phobias-A systematic review

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Krzystanek, Marek, Surma, Stanisław, Stokrocka, Małgorzata, Romańczyk, Monika, Przybyło, Jacek, Krzystanek, Natalia, Borkowski, Mariusz·2021·Frontiers in Psychiatry

Abstract

Background: The high incidence of phobias and the limited accessibility of psychotherapy are the reasons for the search for alternative treatments that increase the availability of effective treatment. The use of virtual reality (VR) technology is an option with the potential to overcome the barriers in obtaining an effective treatment. VR exposure therapy (VRET) is based on a very similar rationale for in vivo exposure therapy. The study aimed to answer the question of how to perform exposure therapy in a virtual reality environment so that it is effective. Methods: A systematic review of the literature, using PRISMA guidelines, was performed. After analysis of 362 records, 11 research papers on agoraphobia, 28 papers on social phobia and 10 about specific phobias were selected for this review. Results: VRET in agoraphobia and social phobia is effective when performed from 8 to 12 sessions, on average once a week for at least 15 min. In turn, the treatment of specific phobias is effective even in the form of one longer session, lasting 45–180 min. Head mounted displays are an effective technology for VRET. Increasing the frequency of sessions and adding drug therapy may shorten the overall treatment duration. The effectiveness of VRET in phobias is greater without concomitant psychiatric comorbidity and on the condition of inducing and maintaining in the patient an experience of immersion in the VR environment. Long-term studies show a sustained effect of VRET in the treatment of phobias. Conclusion: A large number of studies on in VR exposure therapy in phobias allows for the formulation of some recommendations on how to perform VRET, enabling the effective treatment. The review also indicates the directions of further VRET research in the treatment of phobias.

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Crossref · 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.737351

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  • A review of n = 28 studies recommends eight to 12 weekly sessions of at least 15 min of VRET for the treatment of SAD.

    “This is in line with a review of n = 28 studies (Krzystanek et al., 2021) recommending eight to 12 weekly sessions of at least 15 min of VRET for the treatment of SAD.”

    From Virtual Reality exposure therapy in the treatment of public speaking anxiety and social anxiety disorder (2024) · cites this paper as Krzystanek et al., 2021

    The Conclusions recommend 8–12 VRET sessions, on average once a week for at least 15 minutes, for social phobia (SAD). However, Materials and Methods states that the review included 49 clinical trials, not 28 studies. (LLM, conf=0.94)

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Authors
Krzystanek, M., Surma, S., Stokrocka, M., Romańczyk, M., Przybyło, J., Krzystanek, N., & Borkowski, M.
Affiliations
Medical University of Silesia (PL)
Corresponding author
Krzystanek, Marek
Venue
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Published
2021-09-21
Volume
12
Pages
737351-737351
ISSN
1664-0640 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3200615163
Cited by
46
References
66
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 1
FWCI
0.64
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Frontiers in Psychiatry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
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
virtual reality exposure therapy, phobia, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, specific phobia, treatment duration, head-mounted displays, immersion, psychiatric comorbidity, long-term treatment outcomes

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