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Recent Progress in Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Phobias: A Systematic Review

  • Anxiety Disorders (A Pelissolo, Section Editor)
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Abstract

This review is designed to systematically examine the available evidence about virtual reality exposure therapy’s (VRET) efficacy for phobias, critically describe some of the most important challenges in the field and discuss possible directions. Evidence reveals that virtual reality (VR) is an effective treatment for phobias and useful for studying specific issues, such as pharmacological compounds and behavioral manipulations, that can enhance treatment outcomes. In addition, some variables, such as sense of presence in virtual environments, have a significant influence on outcomes, but further research is needed to better understand their role in therapeutic outcomes. We conclude that VR is a useful tool to improve exposure therapy and it can be a good option to analyze the processes and mechanisms involved in exposure therapy and the ways this strategy can be enhanced. In the coming years, there will be a significant expansion of VR in routine practice in clinical contexts.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Spain), (Plan Nacional I + D + I. PSI2014-54172-R), and the Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCiii) CIBERobn is an initiative of ISCIII.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain

    Cristina Botella, Javier Fernández-Álvarez & Azucena García-Palacios

  2. CIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain

    Cristina Botella, Verónica Guillén, Azucena García-Palacios & Rosa Baños

  3. Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    Verónica Guillén & Rosa Baños

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  1. Cristina Botella
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  2. Javier Fernández-Álvarez
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Correspondence to Cristina Botella.

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Cristina Botella, Javier Fernández-Álvarez, Verónica Guillén, Azucena García-Palacios, and Rosa Baños declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Botella, C., Fernández-Álvarez, J., Guillén, V. et al. Recent Progress in Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Phobias: A Systematic Review. Curr Psychiatry Rep 19, 42 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0788-4

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