Lessons Learned From 600 Virtual Reality Sessions

The Center for Advanced Multimedia Psychotherapy at the California School of Professional Psychology in San Diego was established to conduct research and provide clinical treatment to persons with phobias and other mental health disorders by using virtual environments as an adjunct to traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy. Observations made over the course of 600 virtual reality sessions are discussed in this article. Physiological and self-report data collected during treatment support the effectiveness of virtual reality exposure as a useful adjunct in the treatment of phobias. The use of immersive virtual environments appears to augment treatment success through the construct of "presence."

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