Short summary

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is considered a prevalent anxiety disorder with one of the highest disease burdens amongst anxiety disorders. Despite available and effective treatment with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, many individuals with SAD do not seek treatment and many drop out when confronted with elements of exposure. In this feasibility study we examine the usability of developed virtual reality content combined with real-time psychophysiological measurements in the treatment of SAD.

Rationale

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is considered a prevalent anxiety disorder with one of the highest disease burdens amongst anxiety disorders. Despite available and effective treatment with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, many individuals with SAD do not seek treatment and many drop out when confronted with elements of exposure.

In this feasibility study we examine the usability of developed virtual reality content combined with real-time psychophysiological measurements in the treatment of SAD.

Aim of the study:

The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility of adaptable 360° virtual reality video with psychophysiological monitoring for the treatment of social anxiety disorder.

The specific objectives of this study are to:

1) Investigate the subjective experience of anxiety, presence and usability of the developed VR videos in SAD patients.

2) Examine collected psychophysiological data as expression of anxiety in SAD patients exposed to VR videos.

3) Explore the relationship between psychophysiological measurements and self-reported data.

4) Examine the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention from a clinical perspective.

Description of the cohort

1) 10 Out patients from The Mental Health Services in the Region of Southern Denmark with the diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder

2) 10 Healthy control participants

3) 10 Clinicians with experience in treating anxiety disorders, recruited from The Mental Health Services in the Region of Southern Denmark

Data and biological material

Social Security Number, Name, Age, Weight, Height, Medicine Use, Psychiatric Diagnoses, Treatment status (Y/N), Relevant Somatic Diagnoses, Psychophysiological Data (Heart rate, Resperatory Rate, Electrodermal Activity) Questionnaire Data: Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS), Systems Usability Scale (SUS), Subjective Units of Distress (SUDS), Multimodal Presence Scale (MPS)

Collaborating researchers and departments

Innovation Fund Denmark, Maersk McKinney Moeller Institute, iMotions