Self-efficacy Enhancement in a Virtual Reality Training for Fear of Heights

Summary

Self-efficacy (SE) enhancement after virtual reality exposure (VRET) for heights can promote treatment-induced effects (Raeder et al. 2019). Raeder et al (2019) employed an intervention to enhance SE by introducing specific questions about autobiographical events of success and mastery experiences in the course of VRET. Building on these previous findings, the present study aims to examine whether SE-enhancement DURING and/or AFTER a brief VR-based exposure for fear of heights (in the following referred to as VR-height-exposure) is suitable to promote exposure-induced reductions in height-related fear and avoidance. To this end, repeated visual feedback DURING a brief VR-height-exposure will be used to selectively promote SE and mastery experiences. In a similar vein, SE-enhancement AFTER VR-height-exposure will be administered. The effects of these interventions will be assessed on different treatment outcome levels. It will be further examined whether the combined SE enhancement (DURING and AFTER exposure) is more effective that 1.) SE enhancement performed DURING VR-height-exposure only or 2.) SE enhancement performed AFTER VR-height-exposure only.

The investigators hypothesize that SE enhancement (either administered DURING or AFTER VR-height-exposure) will be more effective (as indicated by more pronounced reductions in height-related fear and avoidance) than VR-height-exposure alone. It is further expected that the combined SE enhancement DURING and AFTER VR-height-exposure will be more effective compared to SE enhancement DURING VR-height-exposure alone and/or SE enhancement DURING VR-height-exposure alone.

Conditions

• Fear of Heights
• Specific Phobia, Situational

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Visual Feedback

Visual progress feedback and words of positive affirmation will be presented triggered by checkpoints set in the VR-height-exposure.

BEHAVIORAL

Self-efficacy enhancement:

specific instructions regarding the retrieval of mastery experiences during exposure will be given (modified version of the procedure used in Raeder et al. 2019).

BEHAVIORAL

placebo intervention

specific instructions regarding the retrieval of the exposure session will be given without an emphasis on personal mastery experience (modified version of the procedure used in Raeder et al. 2019).

BEHAVIORAL

No visual feedback

Participants can not trigger any checkpoints during VR and therefore not receive any progress feedback or positive affirmation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ruhr University of Bochum

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-06-22

Primary Completion

2026-03-30

Completion

2026-03-30

Countries

• Germany

Study Locations