Stupar-Rutenfrans Snežana, Ketelaars Loes E H, van Gisbergen Marnix S
1 University College Roosevelt (Utrecht University), Academic Core Department, Middelburg, the Netherlands .
2 NHTV University of Applied Sciences, Academy for Digital Entertainment, Breda, the Netherlands .
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2017 Oct;20(10):624-633. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2017.0174.
With this article, we aim to increase our understanding of how mobile virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) can help reduce speaking anxiety. Using the results of a longitudinal study, we examined the effect of a new VRET strategy (Public Speech Trainer, PST), that incorporates 360° live recorded VR environments, on the reduction of public speaking anxiety. The PST was developed as a 360° smartphone application for a VR head-mounted device that participants could use at home. Realistic anxiety experiences were created by means of live 360° video recordings of a lecture hall containing three training sessions based on graded exposure framework; empty classroom (a) and with a small (b) and large audience (c). Thirty-five students participated in all sessions using PST. Anxiety levels were measured before and after each session over a period of 4 weeks. As expected, speaking anxiety significantly decreased after the completion of all PST sessions, and the decrement was the strongest in participants with initially high speaking anxiety baseline levels. Results also revealed that participants with moderate and high speaking anxiety baseline level differ in the anxiety state pattern over time. Conclusively and in line with habituation theory, the results supported the notion that VRET is more effective when aimed at reducing high-state anxiety levels. Further implications for future research and improvement of current VRET strategies are discussed.
通过本文，我们旨在加深对移动虚拟现实暴露疗法（VRET）如何帮助减轻演讲焦虑的理解。利用一项纵向研究的结果，我们考察了一种新的VRET策略（公开演讲训练器，PST）的效果，该策略结合了360°实时录制的虚拟现实环境，对减轻公开演讲焦虑的作用。PST被开发成一款适用于虚拟现实头戴设备的360°智能手机应用程序，参与者可以在家中使用。通过对一个讲堂进行360°实时视频录制，根据分级暴露框架创建了三次训练课程，营造出逼真的焦虑体验；空教室（a）、有少量观众（b）和大量观众（c）的教室。35名学生参与了使用PST的所有课程。在为期4周的时间里，在每次课程前后测量焦虑水平。正如预期的那样，在完成所有PST课程后，演讲焦虑显著降低，并且在最初演讲焦虑基线水平较高的参与者中，下降最为明显。结果还显示，中度和高度演讲焦虑基线水平的参与者在焦虑状态随时间的变化模式上存在差异。总之，与习惯化理论一致，结果支持了这样一种观点，即VRET在旨在降低高状态焦虑水平时更有效。文中还讨论了对未来研究和当前VRET策略改进的进一步启示。
