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Enhancing Generalization of Virtual Reality Exposure for Public Speaking Anxiety

NCT07323498 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 48

Last updated 2026-01-09

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This randomized controlled trial examines whether imagery-based extinction memory updating following a standardized virtual reality (VR) exposure session improves the generalization of exposure effects to novel public speaking contexts. Individuals with elevated public speaking anxiety will complete a single-session VR speech exposure. Participants are randomized to (a) standard mental rehearsal of the exposure experience or (b) mental rehearsal plus guided imagery that updates the extinction memory with novel, non-exposed contexts. Generalization is assessed 7-14 days later using a multi-context behavioral approach test (BAT) in vivo and in VR.

Conditions

  • Public Speaking Anxiety
  • Public Speaking Fear

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

VR Exposure

6 VR speech exposure trials (3 min each; topic: "something you are proud of")

BEHAVIORAL

Standard Mental Rehearsal

Post-exposure guided imagery: vivid mental rehearsal of the same exposure experience in the same VR contexts (brief, ≤30s each)

BEHAVIORAL

Mental Rehearsal With Extinction Memory Updating

Post-exposure guided imagery: vivid rehearsal of the exposure experience while updating the extinction memory with novel, non-exposed contexts (e.g., speaking to three real listeners; speaking in a new VR context with a larger audience). Brief, ≤30s each

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Philipps University Marburg

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Christoph Benke, Ph.D. · Philiips-University of Marburg

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
70 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-11-26
Primary Completion
2026-11-30
Completion
2026-12-31

Countries

  • Germany

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07323498 on ClinicalTrials.gov