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Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Acrophobia

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Trends and Applications in Information Systems and Technologies (WorldCIST 2021)

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 1365))

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Abstract

Exposure Therapy using Virtual Reality has been indicated as one of the most promising therapeutic approaches in the treatment of Acrophobia, because Virtual Reality generates exposure conditions systematic controlled and customized desensitization of the individual concerning the phobic incitement and the impulsive responses related to it, potentiating the emotional self-regulated competence and the incorporated cognitive restructuration.

This quasi-experimental study had the purpose to analyze the impact of an exposure therapy program using Virtual Reality in the reduction of fear of heights on a sample of the Portuguese population. In this study participated 19 people with and without fear of heights, being distributed by the experimental and control groups. The program was composed of 8 sessions distributed biweekly, corresponding to a total program duration of 4 weeks. The impact of the program was analyzed through the administration of anxiety and acrophobia level assessment instruments and operationalization of psychophysiological procedures, focused on the biofeedback principles, before and after the intervention.

The results from both self-report and psychophysiological data revealed a significant reduction in fear of heights in the participants exposed to the exposure therapy program, showing a positive impact of this protocol on the treatment of Acrophobia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health, Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Vanessa Maravalhas, António Marques, Sara de Sousa, Pedro Monteiro & Raquel Simões de Almeida

Authors
  1. Vanessa Maravalhas
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  2. António Marques
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  3. Sara de Sousa
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  4. Pedro Monteiro
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  5. Raquel Simões de Almeida
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vanessa Maravalhas .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. ISEG, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

    Álvaro Rocha

  2. College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Hojjat Adeli

  3. Institute of Data Science and Digital Technologies, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Gintautas Dzemyda

  4. DCT, Universidade Portucalense, Porto, Portugal

    Fernando Moreira

  5. Department of Information Sciences, University of Sheffield, Lisbon, Portugal

    Ana Maria Ramalho Correia

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Maravalhas, V., Marques, A., de Sousa, S., Monteiro, P., de Almeida, R.S. (2021). Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Acrophobia. In: Rocha, Á., Adeli, H., Dzemyda, G., Moreira, F., Ramalho Correia, A.M. (eds) Trends and Applications in Information Systems and Technologies. WorldCIST 2021. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 1365. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72657-7_53

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