Virtual Reality-based Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy for Specific Phobias

The University of Northampton

Status: Completed

Conditions: Specific Phobias

Treatments: Other: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing phobia treatment in virtual reality

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06906770

FHSHEA000372

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial is to study the effectiveness of a virtual reality-based eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) application in treating phobia. It will also learn about the feasibility and safety of the application for independent use.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does the VR EMDR application reduce distress, improve positive cognitions, and decrease avoidance of specific phobias? Can the application help diminish phobia-related bodily sensations and encourage cognitive shifts toward positive beliefs and greater confidence in confronting previously avoided situations? Can the participants independently administer the treatment with minimum assistance?

Participants will:

Visit the site and take the VR EMDR phobia treatment every day for one week. Report their phobia and simulator sickness symptoms through self-report questionnaires or semi-structured interviews.

Enrollment: 17 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 17+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Have a specific phobia (not necessarily clinically significant)

Exclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of mental health disorders
• History of trauma associated with their phobia
• History of panic attacks associated with their phobia
• History of psychosis
• Current self-harm
• Current suicidal ideation
• Regular use of substances that might affect mental state
• Regular use of medications that might affect mental state
• Significant visual impairments
• Severe motion sickness

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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17 participants in 1 patient group

VR EMDR

Experimental group

Treatment:

Other: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing phobia treatment in virtual reality