Virtual Reality Exposure for Socially Anxious Adolescents

Launched by KU LEUVEN · Apr 17, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying the use of virtual reality (VR) to help adolescents aged 12 to 16 who are experiencing high levels of social anxiety. The main goal is to see if VR can effectively reduce feelings of anxiety in social situations compared to traditional exposure therapy and a waitlist group that does not receive treatment right away. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: those using VR, those undergoing in-person exposure therapy, or those waiting to start treatment. The researchers hope that both treatment methods will help reduce anxiety symptoms, and they will also look at how well participants feel overall and how they experience the treatment.

To be eligible for the trial, participants must speak Dutch and have elevated social anxiety, but they cannot have severe anxiety disorders, depression, or other serious mental health issues. Participants will get a chance to try out the VR experience and provide feedback on it. This study is an exciting opportunity for adolescents struggling with social anxiety to potentially find relief through innovative technology while contributing to important research in this area.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion:
• • Elevated levels of social anxiety (as per the Social Phobia Inventory; ≥ 19)
• • Fluent in Dutch
• • 12-16 years old
• • Exclusion
• • Severe social anxiety disorder
• • Severe depression
• • Psychotic symptoms
• • Severe suicidal thoughts and / or severe self-harm
• • Severe substance use
• • Benzodiazepine use and / or a change of psychoactive medication usage (dose, type)
• • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis
• • Current ongoing psychological treatment (or waitlisted) for anxiety disorders and or depression
• • Other urgent psychopathologies and/or mismatch between participants' clinical presentation and the offered training
• • Exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder in the past 2 years
• • Another person from the same household is participating in the study
• * Eligible for VR as per the following criteria:
• • History of extreme/severe motion sickness (e.g., car sick, sea-sick) and / or experiencing extreme/severe symptoms of motion sickness during 3D movies
• • Stereoscopic vision problem or a balance problem that would hinder the VR experience;
• • History of seizures, seizure disorder or epilepsy