Virtual Reality-based Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy for Specific Phobias

The goal of this clinical trial is to study the effectiveness of a virtual reality-based eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) application in treating phobia. It will also learn about the feasibility and safety of the application for independent use.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does the VR EMDR application reduce distress, improve positive cognitions, and decrease avoidance of specific phobias? Can the application help diminish phobia-related bodily sensations and encourage cognitive shifts toward positive beliefs and greater confidence in confronting previously avoided situations? Can the participants independently administer the treatment with minimum assistance?

Participants will:

Visit the site and take the VR EMDR phobia treatment every day for one week. Report their phobia and simulator sickness symptoms through self-report questionnaires or semi-structured interviews.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Specific Phobias
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing phobia treatment in virtual reality

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 17
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Northamptonshire
    • Northampton, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom, NN1 5PH
      • University of Northampton

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Have a specific phobia (not necessarily clinically significant)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of mental health disorders
• History of trauma associated with their phobia
• History of panic attacks associated with their phobia
• History of psychosis
• Current self-harm
• Current suicidal ideation
• Regular use of substances that might affect mental state
• Regular use of medications that might affect mental state
• Significant visual impairments
• Severe motion sickness

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: VR EMDR	Other: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing phobia treatment in virtual reality; Short form and frequent eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in virtual reality for specific phobia treatment.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Subjective Units of Distress (SUDs)	The Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDs) is a self-reported measure of distress experienced by participants during each virtual reality (VR) EMDR session. Participants will rate their level of distress on a scale from 0 (no distress) to 10 (highest distress). Outcome is measured by the change in SUD score throughout each session and cumulative change from Day 1 to Day 5.	Recorded 4 times during each VR EMDR session (first being baseline, and the subsequent three were recorded after each eye movement set in desensitisation phrase) across the 5 consecutive intervention days.
Change in Validity of Cognitions (VoC)	The Validity of Cognition (VoC) scale measures the strength of positive cognitions related to the phobic trigger. Participants will rate how true their preferred positive cognition feels on a scale from 1 (completely false) to 7 (completely true) during each VR EMDR session. Outcome is measured by change in VoC score throughout each session and cumulative change from Day 1 to Day 5.	Recorded 4 times during each VR EMDR session (first being baseline, and the subsequent three were recorded after each eye movement set in installation phrase) across the 5 consecutive intervention days.
Change in IAPT Phobia Scale Score	The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Phobia Scale assesses the severity of phobic symptoms in terms of avoidance behaviour. Participants will complete the scale before the intervention (baseline) and immediately after the final session (Day 5). Outcome is measured by the change in IAPT Phobia Scale score from baseline to Day 5 post-intervention. Participants achieved remission if they scored below the threshold of 4 in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Phobia (IAPT) phobia scale.	Baseline (Day 0, pre-intervention) and post-intervention (Day 5).
The Severity Measure for Specific Phobia-Adult	The Severity Measure for Specific Phobia-Adult is a 10-item measure that assesses the severity of specific phobia in individuals age 18 and older. The measure was designed to be completed by an individual upon receiving a diagnosis of specific phobia (or clinically significant specific phobia symptoms) and thereafter, prior to follow-up visits with the clinician. Each item asks the individual to rate the severity of his or her specific phobia during the past 7 days.	Baseline (Day 0, pre-intervention) and post-intervention (Day 5).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) Score Change	The Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) is used to assess potential side effects of virtual reality exposure, including nausea, oculomotor discomfort, and disorientation. Participants will complete the SSQ at the end of the first and last intervention days. Outcome is measured by the change in total SSQ score between Day 1 and Day 5.	Day 1 and Day 5 post-intervention.
Participant Adherence	Description: Adherence will be assessed based on the number of sessions completed	Day 5 post-intervention.
Participant Acceptability	Description: Acceptability will be evaluated using participant feedback collected at the end of the intervention period.	Day 5 post-intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The University of Northampton
• Collaborators: St Andrew's Healthcare

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 28, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 2, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): May 2, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 24, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 31, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): April 2, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 28, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 21, 2025
• Last Verified: May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Virtual Reality; Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Anxiety Disorders; Phobic Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: FHSHEA000372

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: The increased risk of patients being identified.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No