Virtual Reality Intervention for Fear of Heights

NCT ID: NCT06468878

Last Updated: 2024-07-23

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

44 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-07-08

Study Completion Date

2025-05-31

Brief Summary

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Exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy is an efficacious treatment for acrophobia (fear of heights) and has been delivered effectively in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The present study is designed to evaluate the effects of liked, non-lyrical background music on the efficacy of a brief VR exposure intervention.

Detailed Description

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The goal of this clinical trial is to compare acrophobia (fear of heights) outcomes for VR exposure therapy in college students with elevated acrophobia when listening to music during exposure versus no music. The overarching aim of the current study is to determine how liked, non-lyrical background music will influence acrophobia outcomes after a brief exposure therapy session in VR.

The study involves three phases: (1) initial screening, (2) in-person assessment and a brief exposure intervention for a subset of participants with elevated acrophobia, and (3) a one-week follow-up assessment conducted online. Students who choose to participate and screen high on an acrophobia scale will be assigned to an experimental or control condition prior to undergoing VR based exposure therapy. Acrophobia outcomes are measured immediately post-intervention and one week later.

Researchers will compare participants in the music condition to participants in the non-music condition to see if acrophobia outcomes differ.

Conditions

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Acrophobia

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Exposure Intervention with Non-Lyrical, Liked Background Music

Participants will be presented with a list of instrumental songs without lyrics from popular movies. Participants will then rank the songs in order of those they would like to hear the most. During VR heights exposure the participants' highest-ranked songs will be played in the background at a low volume.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Exposure Intervention Plus Music Induction

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

VR exposure for acrophobia with background music.

Exposure Intervention without Background Music

Participants will undergo VR heights exposure without background music.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Exposure Intervention With No Music Induction

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

VR exposure for acrophobia with no background music.

Interventions

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Exposure Intervention Plus Music Induction

VR exposure for acrophobia with background music.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Exposure Intervention With No Music Induction

VR exposure for acrophobia with no background music.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Self-report of 18 years of age or older
* Current student at Boston University
* Ability to read English to provide informed consent
* Familiarity with a computer keyboard and mouse or a touch screen device (e.g. phone, tablet)
* For Phase 2: Acrophobia score of ≥ 45.45 on the Acrophobia Questionnaire (AQ) Anxiety Subscale

Exclusion Criteria

* Previous participation (i.e. no participant may take the survey more than once).
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Boston University Charles River Campus

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Laura Long, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Boston University

Locations

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Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Laura J Long, PhD

Role: CONTACT

617-358-4303

Michael Otto, PhD

Role: CONTACT

617-353-9610

Facility Contacts

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Laura J. Long, Ph.D.

Role: primary

617-358-4303

Michael

Role: backup

617-353-9610

Other Identifiers

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7169E

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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