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<p>Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is marked by intense fear of social scrutiny, significantly impairing functioning among university students. This randomized controlled trial evaluated a 14-day, fully self-guided smartphone-based virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) to reduce SAD symptoms, addressing the gap in existing self-guided VRET studies, which often involve therapist participation and require 4–6&#xa0;weeks. Using immersive exposure and autonomy-driven engagement, the intervention employed affordable smartphone-based VR devices for scalability and accessibility. Sixty-one university students with elevated SAD symptoms (Social Phobia Inventory ≥ 31; Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale ≥ 35) were randomized to an intervention group (n = 31) receiving daily VRET sessions via a mobile application with locked progression and reminders or a waitlist control group (n = 30). A mixed ANOVA showed a significant Time × Group interaction for SAD symptoms and negative emotions. The intervention group exhibited significant reductions in SAD symptoms, negative emotions, and mental health distress from pre- to post-intervention, sustained at 1-month follow-up, with no changes in the control group. This brief, self-administered VRET protocol offers a cost-effective, time-efficient solution for university students, advancing fully self-guided interventions.</p>

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Smartphone-based self-help virtual reality exposure therapy for college students’ social anxiety: a randomized controlled study

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月22日

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  • Chinghsiang Kan,
  • Yifan Wang,
  • Ruoyun Hu,
  • Ke Chen,
  • Ya Zhang

摘要

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is marked by intense fear of social scrutiny, significantly impairing functioning among university students. This randomized controlled trial evaluated a 14-day, fully self-guided smartphone-based virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) to reduce SAD symptoms, addressing the gap in existing self-guided VRET studies, which often involve therapist participation and require 4–6 weeks. Using immersive exposure and autonomy-driven engagement, the intervention employed affordable smartphone-based VR devices for scalability and accessibility. Sixty-one university students with elevated SAD symptoms (Social Phobia Inventory ≥ 31; Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale ≥ 35) were randomized to an intervention group (n = 31) receiving daily VRET sessions via a mobile application with locked progression and reminders or a waitlist control group (n = 30). A mixed ANOVA showed a significant Time × Group interaction for SAD symptoms and negative emotions. The intervention group exhibited significant reductions in SAD symptoms, negative emotions, and mental health distress from pre- to post-intervention, sustained at 1-month follow-up, with no changes in the control group. This brief, self-administered VRET protocol offers a cost-effective, time-efficient solution for university students, advancing fully self-guided interventions.