Telemedicine-Based Virtual Reality for Phobia Treatment
This study is testing if a new telemedicine-based virtual reality clinic, called Doxy.me VR, can help adults with phobias of dogs, snakes, or spiders. You would participate in 7 sessions of exposure therapy. Some participants will use virtual reality stimuli, while others will use photos and videos. The researchers want to see if Doxy.me VR reduces phobia symptoms more effectively than traditional telemedicine and if its realistic feel contributes to its success. To join, you need to be an adult with a self-reported fear of dogs, snakes, or spiders, meet certain severity scores, and have internet access with video conferencing capabilities.
- Study design
- This is a randomized controlled trial planning to enroll 240 participants. Participants will be assigned to either the virtual reality group or the photos/videos group.
- What's involved
- You would complete 7 60-minute exposure therapy sessions, followed by real-life exposures.
- Compensation
- Not stated in the trial record.
- Follow-up
- Your phobia symptoms will be measured at baseline, mid-treatment (4 weeks), post-treatment (7 weeks), and 3 months after treatment (28 weeks).
AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.
A Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial of a Telemedicine-based Virtual Reality Clinic for the Treatment of Phobias
At a glance
Conditions
Where it's being run
1 sites across 1 statesStudy leadership
- Brian E. Bunnell, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of South Florida
Who to contact
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What this trial measures
- Phobia symptom severityBaseline, 4 Weeks Post-Baseline (Mid-Treatment), 7 Weeks Post-Baseline (Post-Treatment), and 28 weeks Post-Baseline (3-Months Post-Treatment)
The Severity Measure for Specific Phobia (SMSP) is a 10-item self-report questionnaire that assesses the severity of specific phobia symptoms relative to an individual's feared stimulus. Total scores range from 0 to 4 with higher scores indicating higher phobia severity.
- Dog Phobia SeverityBaseline, 4 Weeks Post-Baseline (Mid-Treatment), 7 Weeks Post-Baseline (Post-Treatment), and 28 weeks Post-Baseline (3-Months Post-Treatment)
The Dog Phobia Questionnaire (DPQ) is a 27-item, self-report questionnaire assessing the severity of dog phobia symptoms. Scores range from 27 to 189 with higher scores indicating higher phobia severity.
- Snake Phobia SeverityBaseline, 4 Weeks Post-Baseline (Mid-Treatment), 7 Weeks Post-Baseline (Post-Treatment), and 28 weeks Post-Baseline (3-Months Post-Treatment)
The Snake Anxiety Questionnaire (SNAQ) is a 30-item self-report questionnaire assessing the severity of snake phobia symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 30 with higher scores indicating higher phobia severity.
- Spider Phobia SeverityBaseline, 4 Weeks Post-Baseline (Mid-Treatment), 7 Weeks Post-Baseline (Post-Treatment), and 28 weeks Post-Baseline (3-Months Post-Treatment)
The Fear of Spiders Questionnaire (FSQ) is an 18-item self-report questionnaire assessing the severity of spider phobia symptoms. Scores range from 18 to 126 with higher scores indicating higher phobia severity.