Virtual reality exposure therapy for the treatment of fear of flying: a controlled investigation

J Consult Clin Psychol. 2002 Oct;70(5):1112-8. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.70.5.1112.

Abstract

Forty-five participants who refused to fly during a screening test and who also met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for specific phobia, agoraphobia, or panic disorder with agoraphobia were randomly assigned to 5 sessions of either virtual reality exposure (VRE) or attention-placebo group treatment (GT). At posttreatment, 65% of VRE participants and 57% of GT participants flew during a test flight. Both groups showed significant improvement following treatment on standardized self-report measures of flight anxiety, with a better outcome for the VRE group on 4 of 5 of these measures. At 6-month follow-up, however, most group differences had disappeared; VRE resulted in a better outcome on only 1 of 5 standardized flight anxiety measures.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Agoraphobia / psychology
  • Agoraphobia / therapy
  • Aircraft*
  • Desensitization, Psychologic / methods*
  • Fear*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Panic Disorder / psychology
  • Panic Disorder / therapy
  • Phobic Disorders / psychology
  • Phobic Disorders / therapy
  • Therapy, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Travel / psychology*
  • User-Computer Interface*