A Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial of a Telemedicine-based Virtual Reality Clinic for the Treatment of Phobias

NCT07558824 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 008130R44MH129065
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 240
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a telemedicine-based virtual reality clinic (Doxy.me VR) works to treat dog, spider, and snake phobias in adults. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does Doxy.me VR decrease the severity of phobias better than traditional telemedicine-based treatment? Does this work because it feels more realistic than telemedicine alone?

Conditions

Specific Phobia, Animal

Keywords

phobia; phobias; snakes; dogs; spiders

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Phobia symptom severity

  The Severity Measure for Specific Phobia (SMSP) is a 10-item self-report questionnaire that assesses the severity of specific phobia symptoms relative to an individual's feared stimulus. Total scores range from 0 to 4 with higher scores indicating higher phobia severity.

  Baseline, 4 Weeks Post-Baseline (Mid-Treatment), 7 Weeks Post-Baseline (Post-Treatment), and 28 weeks Post-Baseline (3-Months Post-Treatment)

• Dog Phobia Severity

  The Dog Phobia Questionnaire (DPQ) is a 27-item, self-report questionnaire assessing the severity of dog phobia symptoms. Scores range from 27 to 189 with higher scores indicating higher phobia severity.

  Baseline, 4 Weeks Post-Baseline (Mid-Treatment), 7 Weeks Post-Baseline (Post-Treatment), and 28 weeks Post-Baseline (3-Months Post-Treatment)

• Snake Phobia Severity

  The Snake Anxiety Questionnaire (SNAQ) is a 30-item self-report questionnaire assessing the severity of snake phobia symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 30 with higher scores indicating higher phobia severity.

  Baseline, 4 Weeks Post-Baseline (Mid-Treatment), 7 Weeks Post-Baseline (Post-Treatment), and 28 weeks Post-Baseline (3-Months Post-Treatment)

• Spider Phobia Severity

  The Fear of Spiders Questionnaire (FSQ) is an 18-item self-report questionnaire assessing the severity of spider phobia symptoms. Scores range from 18 to 126 with higher scores indicating higher phobia severity.

  Baseline, 4 Weeks Post-Baseline (Mid-Treatment), 7 Weeks Post-Baseline (Post-Treatment), and 28 weeks Post-Baseline (3-Months Post-Treatment)

Secondary Outcomes (9)

• Specific Phobia Diagnosis

  Baseline, 4 Weeks Post-Baseline (Mid-Treatment), 7 Weeks Post-Baseline (Post-Treatment), and 28 weeks Post-Baseline (3-Months Post-Treatment)

• General Anxiety

  Baseline, 7 Weeks Post-Baseline (Post-Treatment), and 28 weeks Post-Baseline (3-Months Post-Treatment)

• Depression Severity

  Baseline, 7 Weeks Post-Baseline (Post-Treatment), and 28 weeks Post-Baseline (3-Months Post-Treatment)

• Quality of Life Level

  Baseline, 7 Weeks Post-Baseline (Post-Treatment), and 28 weeks Post-Baseline (3-Months Post-Treatment)

• Level of Telepresence

  Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7; Averaged across weeks

Study Arms (2)

Telemedicine-based Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

This group will receive exposure therapy in a telemedicine-based Virtual Reality Clinic using virtual reality snakes, dogs, or spiders. The VR stimuli range from small to medium to large and have four activity levels: idle, calm, energetic, and aggressive.

Behavioral: Telemedicine-Based Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Standard Telemedicine-Based Exposure Therapy

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

This group will receive exposure therapy via Doxy.me telemedicine platform using photos and videos of snakes, dogs, or spiders. The photo/video stimuli range from small to medium to large and have four activity levels: idle, calm, energetic, and aggressive.

Behavioral: Telemedicine-Based Exposure Therapy Using Photos and Videos

Interventions

Telemedicine-Based Exposure Therapy Using Photos and Videos BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete 7 60-minute exposure therapy sessions using photos/videos and progress to in vivo exposures.

Standard Telemedicine-Based Exposure Therapy

Telemedicine-Based Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete 7 60-minute exposure therapy sessions in a Virtual Reality Clinic using Virtual Reality stimuli and progress to in vivo exposures. Other Name:

Telemedicine-based Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Individuals will be eligible if they: (1) are an adult (≥18 years old); (2) have a self-reported fear of dogs, snakes, and/or spiders; (3) score 89 ≥ on the FSQ OR 24 ≥ on the SNAQ OR 147 ≥ on the DPQ; and (4) have access to the internet AND a computer OR smartphone with video conferencing capabilities.

You may not qualify if:

• Individuals will be ineligible to participate if they: (1) are participating in ongoing mental health therapy from a non-study therapist; (2) changed psychiatric medication use within the past 6 weeks; (3) report active auditory, visual, and/or tactile hallucinations via the DART Psychosis Module screening question; (4) report active health conditions requiring upcoming planned or likely hospitalization or intensive treatment that will prevent them from participating; (5) report active legal proceedings that might lead to incarceration during the study period that would prevent them from participating; (6) report an unstable housing situation (eg., eviction or homelessness); (7) have experienced photosensitive seizures within the prior 6 months; (8) endorse more than 20% of symptom validity questions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of South Florida: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of South Florida

Tampa, Florida, 33613, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Phobia, Specific; Phobic Disorders

Interventions

Videotape Recording

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Anxiety Disorders; Mental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Tape Recording; Audiovisual Aids; Educational Technology; Technology; Technology, Industry, and Agriculture; Television

Study Officials

• Brian E. Bunnell, PhD

  University of South Florida

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Maureen Jacobs Plaisimond

CONTACT

813-396-0060; MCOM-VRStudy@usf.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 23, 2026
• First Posted: April 30, 2026
• Study Start: April 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2028
• Last Updated: April 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)