Virtual Reality Exposure for Public Speaking Anxiety (VRanx)

Vilnius University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Public Speaking Anxiety

Treatments: Behavioral: Exposure in virtual reality and text based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for public speaking anxiety

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06214039

VRanx_001

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to examine the efficacy of exposure using virtual reality (VR) for public speaking anxiety in young adults in two treatment arms: a one-session VR exposure therapy with a 4-week online transition intervention versus a three-session VR exposure therapy with a 4-week online transition intervention. Previous studies have demonstrated that one-session therapy (OST) is comparable to prolonged exposure-based therapies in terms of effectively reducing public speaking anxiety. Moreover, VR offers many benefits compared to in-person exposure, namely the ability to produce anxiety-evoking stimuli without having to leave the therapist's room. However, OST VR exposure has not been directly compared to prolonged VR exposure and not for public speaking anxiety.

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• aged 18-30 and studying in higher education;
• experiencing a significant level of public speaking anxiety (60+ on PSAS);
• able to use a computer and have access to the internet for the duration of the study;
• able to understand, write and speak in Lithuanian;
• available to participate in one or three in-person intervention sessions and can devote the time to participate in a 4-week online program following the intervention sessions.

Exclusion criteria

• a history of seizures or a history of epilepsy;
• other significant medical conditions that would prevent them from participating in the program;
• high levels of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 rating of 15 and above and mentions of suicidal ideation) or other significant psychiatric conditions that would interfere with participation in the program;
• a tendency to have extreme seasickness reactions or a history of adverse physical reactions to virtual reality experiences or difficulty with or lack of stereoscopic vision;
• current involvement in other psychological interventions such as psychological counseling or psychotherapy;
• use of psychoactive drugs, unless stable for three months;
• current participation in other programs aimed at reducing public speaking anxiety.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

80 participants in 2 patient groups

One session therapy

Active Comparator group

Description:

One session exposure therapy followed by 4 weeks of internet-delivered self-help with therapist support on demand

Treatment:

Behavioral: Exposure in virtual reality and text based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for public speaking anxiety

One session therapy - divided into 3

Experimental group

Description:

Three session exposure therapy followed by 4 weeks of internet-delivered self-help with therapist support on demand

Treatment:

Behavioral: Exposure in virtual reality and text based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for public speaking anxiety