Applications of virtual reality in clinical psychology: illustrations with the treatment of anxiety disorders

The high cost of VR equipment and environments is a significant deterrent to the widespread dissemination of this technology from scientific research labs to the offices of clinical psychologists. An alternative is to use modified 3D games to create new and clinically useful immersive environments on head mounted displays. The aim of this paper is to summarize the first 18 months of work at the Cyberpsychology Lab. of the University of Quebec in Outaouais on the applications of virtual reality (VR) in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Three studies are summarized: a comparison between phobics and non-phobics immersed in VR environments, a clinical trial on the effectiveness of 3D games to treat phobias in adults and a clinical trial with children. Presence ratings are very high, as well as the graphic qualities and the flexibility of the programs. Results showed a dramatic improvement on general questionnaires and on measures of overt approach/avoidance of phobic stimuli.