Is Continued Improvement After Automated Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Spider Phobia Explained by Subsequent in-vivo Exposure? A First Test of the Lowered Threshold Hypothesis.

ABSTRACT: Consumer Virtual Reality (VR) technology offers a powerful, immersive medium for scalable dissemination of mental health interventions. Decades of research has shown VR exposure therapy to be efficacious in the treatment of anxiety disorders and that the fear reduction generalizes to real-world stimuli. Many studies also report continued improvement over time, after discontinuing VR use. The lowered threshold hypothesis states that this continued improvement is moderated by lowering the threshold to conduct subsequent in-vivo exposure. The current study is the first to formally test this hypothesis, using data from a recent trial on automated VR exposure therapy for spider phobia, in which participants (n = 49) were followed for 1 year, completing assessments 1 week, 3 and 12

SUBMITTER: Lindner P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8174706 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature