6533b7dcfe1ef96bd12732a7

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Virtual Reality and Anxiety Disorders Treatment: Evolution and Future Perspectives

Berenice SerranoCristina BotellaCristina BotellaRosa M. BañosRosa M. BañosBrenda K. Wiederhold

subject

Generalized anxiety disordermedia_common.quotation_subjectSocial anxietyIllusionVirtual realitymedicine.diseaseSpecific phobiamedicineAnxietyAugmented realitymedicine.symptomEmpirical evidencePsychologymedia_commonCognitive psychology

description

Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that allows the simulation of different real-life situations on a tridimensional computer-generated environment where the user can interact with the environment as if he/she were the real world. VR has potential as an exposure technique for treating anxiety disorders because VR and real objects have similar characteristics, which creates the illusion that the user is immersed and engaged with objects in the real world. Regarding the efficacy of using virtual reality exposure-based therapy (VR-EBT), for more than two decades, there has been sufficient empirical evidence regarding VR-EBT for treating anxiety disorders. Finally, this chapter ends with some directions and perspectives for future VR-EBT developments and treatments protocols.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2019-01-01
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9482-3_3