3D Video Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Study

An estimated 10-11% of the US population experiences a specific phobia at some point in their
lives (American Psychiatric Association, 1994; Magee et al., 1996). About 60-85% of those
individuals with a specific phobia never seek treatment (Agras, Sylvester, & Oliveau, 1969;
Boyd et al., 1990; Magee et al., 1996). Clinical psychologist can help improve the number of
phobia sufferers to seek treatment. Advances in technology are helping clinicians create
novel treatment strategies for different anxiety disorders. Virtual reality exposure therapy
(VRET) may help these individuals confront their fears and treat their phobia.

While virtual reality exposure therapy has shown promise in research (Powers & Emmelkamp,
2008), studies have shown that many users complain that the computer generated virtual
reality (VR) stimuli looks unrealistic, eccentric and too much like a video game (Kwon,
Powell, & Chalmers, 2013). Virtual reality environments have been traditionally created by
programmers using video game assets and computer generated imagery (CGI). While CGI can be
used to make intricate virtual environments, unless there is a team of expert digital
artists, the virtual stimulus may end up looking rudimentary and exhibit a number of
graphical glitches which could prove distracting in therapy. Furthermore CGI often suffers
from the uncanny valley effect: the tendency of CGI representations of people to be viewed as
unsettling as the representations become more lifelike. In addition the many current CGI
virtual reality packages are expensive and only available for limited number of fear domains.
Recently however an exciting alternative to traditional computer generated virtual reality
has emerged: ortho-stereoscopic 3D Video VR. Ortho-stereoscopic 3D refers to 3D videos that
are designed to mimic the natural depth we normally see, as opposed to exaggerating it (i.e.
Commercial 3D movies). The benefit of 3D VR as opposed to CGI VR is that it is photo
realistic, does not suffer from a uncanny valley effect of CGI, and is able to capture
nuances of real life fears that are hard to reproduce with CGI.

Inclusion Criteria:

- • Between the ages of 18 and 65

- At least one standard deviation above the SONA pool mean on Fear of Spiders
Questionnaire or Acrophobia Questionnaire.

Exclusion Criteria:

- • Hearing or visually impaired where they cannot use the VRET gear

- Currently (or in the last 3 months) receiving exposure-based treatment for
acrophobia or arachnophobia