Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Phobia Management

Authors

  • Drew Wright
  • Morgan Evans
  • Morgan Wright

Keywords:

virtual reality, exposure therapy, phobias, desensitization, technology

Abstract

This research investigates the integration of virtual reality (VR) technology in exposure therapy for phobia management. By conducting trials with adult subjects with specific phobias, we compared traditional exposure therapy with VR-facilitated sessions. The results indicate that VR exposure therapy significantly accelerates the desensitization process, providing a safe and controlled environment for patients. This suggests a promising future for VR applications in clinical settings.

Author Biographies

Drew Wright

PhD in Psychology
University of Toronto
27 King's College Cir, Toronto, ON M5S, Canada

Morgan Evans

PhD in Computer Science
Kyiv Polytechnic Institute
Peremohy Ave, 37, Kyiv, Ukraine, 03056

Morgan Wright

PhD in Clinical Psychology
Stanford University
450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, United States

References

Lewinski, P. (2016). S. Tan, Marieke L. Fransen, Karolina Czarna and Crystal Butler. Hindering Facial Mimicry in Ad Viewing: Effects on Consumers’ Emotions, Attitudes and Purchase Intentions. Advances in Advertising Research, 6, 281-288.

Lewinski, P., Fransen, M. L., & Tan, E. S. (2017). Embodied Resistance to Persuasion in Advertising. Front. Psychol. 7: 1202. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg. 2016.01202 Embodied Resistance to Persuasion in Advertising. Adaptive Hot Cognition: How Emotion Drives Information Processing and Cognition Steers Affective Processing, 9.

Published

2025-10-24

Issue

Section

Articles