Virtual reality coach helps with fear of heights

Scientists at Oxford University report that psychological therapy in a virtual environment can help people with a clinically diagnosed fear of heights to overcome their fear. And even without a therapist.

The researchers included 100 people with clinically diagnosed fear of heights in the study. They either received the new automated virtual reality treatment (49 people) or no treatment (51 people). On average, the participants had had a fear of heights for 30 years. All participants completed questionnaires on the severity of their fear of heights at the beginning of the study, at the end of the treatment two weeks later and at the follow-up after four weeks.

The participants in the virtual reality treatment had about six 30-minute sessions over two weeks, during which they wore a virtual reality headset. In the first session, participants discussed their fear of heights with the virtual coach and explained what triggered their fear, while the virtual coach gave basic information about fear of heights. Participants then entered a ten-storey virtual office complex where they took part in activities that challenged their fears and helped them learn that they were safer than they thought.

At the end of the treatment and at follow-up, the participants in the control group rated their fear of heights as similar to before, but all participants in the virtual reality treatment group stated that their fear of heights had decreased.

VR is more effective, faster and more attractive

The researchers see the results as proof of concept for how some psychological interventions could be offered in the future. "Virtual reality therapies that do not require a therapist have the potential to dramatically improve access to psychological interventions," said Daniel Freeman. As the clinical study shows, virtual reality treatments have the potential to be more effective, faster and more attractive for many patients than conventional face-to-face therapies.

However, the authors also note some limitations of their study, including the fact that they did not compare the new therapy with the psychological therapies currently used to treat phobias, such as counselling, psychotherapy or cognitive behavioural therapy. The authors also note that they relied on questionnaires to assess the participants' fear of heights and did not test them in real-life scenarios.

Source: Aerzteblatt