Public Speaking, Social Anxiety, Social Anxiety Disorder, Performance Only
Conditions
Brief summary
Virtual Reality exposure therapy (VRET) is an efficacious treatment for anxiety disorders but has yet to be implemented in regular care settings. This is arguably due to the limitations of the past generation of VR technology, which was expensive, inaccessible, cumbersome and hard to use. With the advent of consumer VR technology, VRET is now ready for implementation in regular care. This multiple-baseline trial will examine the effectiveness of VRET for public speaking anxiety (PSA) when delivered under real-world conditions at an ordinary, non-specialized mental health clinic, by clinical psychologist with only brief VRET training. Participants will either be self-referred specifically for this treatment, or come through ordinary clinical channels. Self-rated PSA will serve as primary outcome measure and will be measured three times prior to treatment (at screening and twice after a diagnostic screening telephone interview) , four times after onset, at the end of the treatment period, and three months after treatment.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALIn-session Virtual Reality exposure therapy
A series of exposure exercises (speech exercises) in front of a virtual audience, focusing on promoting inhibitory learning, with audio-feedback.
BEHAVIORALInternet-administered transition program
Four-module internet program with weekly therapist guidance, focusing on transitioning to in-vivo exposure in everyday settings.
Sponsors
PBM
Mimerse
Stockholm University
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Multiple baseline
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Have substantial public speaking anxiety (PSAS \>= 60) * Can travel to PBM clinic on one occasion and pay stipulated patient fee * Can speak and understand sufficient Swedish * Have stable access to the internet
Exclusion criteria
* Deficits in sight or balance impacting the VR-experience * A severe psychiatric disorder better treated elsewhere, including current major depression, alcohol or drug abuse, bipolarity, psychosis or similar * Active psychopharmacological treatment, unless stable for last 3 months * Other ongoing psychological treatment
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change from baseline: Public Speaking Anxiety Scale | Change from baseline: (1) five days after interview, (2) ten days after interview, (3) 7 days post-OST, (4) 14 days post-OST (5) 21 days post-OST (6) 28 days post-OST, (7) 35 days post-OST, (8) 125 days post-PST | Canonical total score will be used. Measure is self-rated, online. Swedish translation of the original PSAS (Bartholomay & Houlihan, 2016) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change from baseline: Brunnsviken Brief Quality of life scale | Change from baseline: (1) 7 days post-OST, (4) 35 days post-OST, (5) 125 days post-PST | Canonical total score will be used. Measure is self-rated, online. |
| Change from baseline: Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Self-Report | Change from baseline: (1) 7 days post-OST, (2) 35 days post-OST, (3) 125 days post-PST | Canonical total score will be used. Measure is self-rated, online. |
| Change from baseline: Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale | Change from baseline: (1) 7 days post-OST, (2) 35 days post-OST, (3) 125 days post-PST | Canonical total score will be used. Measure is self-rated, online. |
| Change from baseline: Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item | Change from baseline: (1) 7 days post-OST, (2) 35 days post-OST, (3) 125 days post-PST | Canonical total score will be used. Measure is self-rated, online. |
| Change from baseline: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item | Change from baseline: (1) 7 days post-OST, (2) 35 days post-OST, (3) 125 days post-PST | Canonical total score will be used. Measure is self-rated, online. |
Countries
Sweden
Outcome results
None listed