Self-efficacy Enhancement in a Virtual Reality Training for Fear of Heights

NCT05824884 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: AZ 794
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 83
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Self-efficacy (SE) enhancement after virtual reality exposure (VRET) for heights can promote treatment-induced effects (Raeder et al. 2019). Raeder et al (2019) employed an intervention to enhance SE by introducing specific questions about autobiographical events of success and mastery experiences in the course of VRET. Building on these previous findings, the present study aims to examine whether SE-enhancement DURING and/or AFTER a brief VR-based exposure for fear of heights (in the following referred to as VR-height-exposure) is suitable to promote exposure-induced reductions in height-related fear and avoidance. To this end, repeated visual feedback DURING a brief VR-height-exposure will be used to selectively promote SE and mastery experiences. In a similar vein, SE-enhancement AFTER VR-height-exposure will be administered. The effects of these interventions will be assessed on different treatment outcome levels. It will be further examined whether the combined SE enhancement (DURING and AFTER exposure) is more effective that 1.) SE enhancement performed DURING VR-height-exposure only or 2.) SE enhancement performed AFTER VR-height-exposure only. The investigators hypothesize that SE enhancement (either administered DURING or AFTER VR-height-exposure) will be more effective (as indicated by more pronounced reductions in height-related fear and avoidance) than VR-height-exposure alone. It is further expected that the combined SE enhancement DURING and AFTER VR-height-exposure will be more effective compared to SE enhancement DURING VR-height-exposure alone and/or SE enhancement DURING VR-height-exposure alone.

Conditions

Fear of Heights; Specific Phobia, Situational

Keywords

Specific phobia; fear of heights; Self-efficacy; virtual reality; exposure

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Change in the Behavioural Approach Test (BAT)

  from baseline to 24 hours after exposure and 3-months-follow-up

• Change in Acrophobia Questionnaire (AQ)

  from baseline to 24 hours after exposure and 3-months-follow-up

• Change in subjective fear during the BAT

  Subjective fear during the BATs will be measured using the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS)

  from baseline to 24 hours after exposure and 3-months-follow-up

• Changes in Heart Rate Variability (HRV) during the BAT

  at baseline, 24 hours after exposure and at 3-months-follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Change in Danger Expectancy Scale (DES)

  from baseline to 24 hours after exposure and 3-months-follow-up

• Change in Anxiety Expectancy Scale (AES)

  from baseline to 24 hours after exposure and 3-months-follow-up

• Differences in GSE between the respective groups

  at pre-exposure, immediately after exposure and 3-months-follow-up

• Differences in AQ between the respective groups

  at baseline, 24 hours after exposure and 3-months-follow-up

Other Outcomes (7)

• Change in perceived SE from pre to post VR-height-exposure

  from baseline to 24 hours after exposure and 3-months-follow-up

• Becks Depression Inventory II (BDI)

  assessed at baseline

• State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T/STAI-S)

  assessed at baseline

Study Arms (4)

Experimental 1

EXPERIMENTAL

positive visual feedback during VR-height-exposure combined with SE-enhancement after exposure.

Behavioral: Visual Feedback; Behavioral: Self-efficacy enhancement:

Active Comparator 1

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

positive visual feedback during VR-height-exposure, and a placebo intervention after exposure.

Behavioral: Visual Feedback; Behavioral: placebo intervention

Active Comparator 2

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

no visual feedback during exposure but SE-enhancement after exposure.

Behavioral: Self-efficacy enhancement:; Behavioral: No visual feedback

Placebo Comparator

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

no visual feedback during exposure and placebo intervention after exposure.

Behavioral: placebo intervention; Behavioral: No visual feedback

Interventions

Visual Feedback BEHAVIORAL

Visual progress feedback and words of positive affirmation will be presented triggered by checkpoints set in the VR-height-exposure.

Active Comparator 1; Experimental 1

Self-efficacy enhancement: BEHAVIORAL

specific instructions regarding the retrieval of mastery experiences during exposure will be given (modified version of the procedure used in Raeder et al. 2019).

Active Comparator 2; Experimental 1

placebo intervention BEHAVIORAL

specific instructions regarding the retrieval of the exposure session will be given without an emphasis on personal mastery experience (modified version of the procedure used in Raeder et al. 2019).

Active Comparator 1; Placebo Comparator

No visual feedback BEHAVIORAL

Participants can not trigger any checkpoints during VR and therefore not receive any progress feedback or positive affirmation.

Active Comparator 2; Placebo Comparator

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• age 18 to 65 years
• fear of heights
• normal or corrected vision

You may not qualify if:

• acute psychotherapy or psychotherapy in the past 2 years
• acute psychiatric drug intake
• acute schizophrenic or psychotic symptoms
• acute major depressive episode with severe symptoms
• acute substance use disorder
• neurological disorder or mental disability
• cardiac arrhythmias or pacemaker

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ruhr University of Bochum: lead

Study Sites (1)

Mental Health Research and Treatment Center

Bochum, 44787, Germany

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Acrophobia; Phobia, Specific

Interventions

Feedback, Sensory

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Biofeedback, Psychology; Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Feedback, Psychological; Feedback, Physiological; Homeostasis; Physiological Phenomena

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 8, 2023
• First Posted: April 24, 2023
• Study Start: June 22, 2023
• Primary Completion: March 30, 2026
• Study Completion: March 30, 2026
• Last Updated: May 7, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Locations

DE (1)