Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy in Anxiety Disorders and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review of Literature

Aim and In this systematic review, virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) was introduced and its effect on anxiety disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were studied. VRET has some advantages, compared to in vivo and imaginal exposure therapies, including greater safety and controllability. Thus, it has been introduced as a novel therapeutic method for the recovery and reconstruction of traumatic emotional experiences.
Methods and Materials: Two databases of ScienceDirect and PubMed were searched for this review. As a result, 39 interventional studies in which VRET was applied for treating anxiety disorders and PTSD were retrieved.
Findings: Results showed VRET had a positive effect on anxiety disorders, including specific and social phobia, panic disorder and agoraphobia, and generalized anxiety disorder, in post-treatment assessments. Moreover, VRET had similar positive effects to that of current effective psychotherapies, including in vivo exposure therapy and cognitive behavior therapy. Results of the literature review indicated that VRET is effective in cognitive, behavioral, and physiological levels. Moreover, the positive effects of VRET often persist during long-term follow-ups.
VRET can be a part of the treatment process of anxiety disorders and PTSD. Further studies in this respect are recommended.