14 Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy vs. Imagery Desensitization Therapy in the Treatment of Flying Phobia

This study examined the value of virtual reality graded exposure therapy (VRGET) compared to standard graded exposure therapy using imagery alone for patients with flying phobia. Thirty subjects were randomized into either VRGET with physiological feedback of skin resistance, peripheral skin temperature, heart rate, and respiration; VRGET with no physiological feedback, or imagery conditions. Patients in all conditions were first taught to relax (for two sessions) and then exposed in six subsequent sessions to flying stimuli (either through a virtual airplane with visual and somatic stimuli, or through producing mental images). Results showed that subjects in all three condit ions were equally physiologically and subjectively aroused throughout the exposure series. However while only 20% of imagery patients flew after 8 weeks of therapy, 80% of VR patients receiving no physiological feedback and 100% of VR patients receiving physiological feedback were able to fly without using medications (p<.001). This is the first study to compare the benefit of virtual reality graded exposure therapy to graded exposure using imagery alone.