Using a Flexible Virtual Environment for Treating a Storm Phobia
Cristina Botella, Rosa Baños, Belén Guerrero, Azucena García‐Palacios, Soledad Quero, Mariano Alcañíz · Psychnology · 2006
ABSTRACT Most of the Virtual Environments (VE) currently available in the field of psychologicaltreatments are designed to solve a specific problem (acrophobia, flying phobia,claustrophobia, etc.). Our research group has developed a versatile Virtual Reality (VR)sys tem (an adaptive display) that could be useful for different problems. In previousstudies, a VR application called “EMMA’sworld” was developed for the treatment of PTSDand pathological grief. The aim of the present work is to show the utility of this sy stem forthe treatment of a storm phobia. The patient was a 70 year -old woman, who was notfamiliar at all with computer technologies. As the patient was not able to confront even avirtual storm, the treatment was applied in two phases: In vivo exposure ( explodingballoons), and exposure to VE simulating storms, rain, thunders and lightings. Resultsshowed changes in the expected direction and were maintained at 6 -month follow -up.Keywords: virtual reality exposure, adaptive display, psychological treat ment, specific phobia.Paper received: 15/07/2006; received in revised form: 14/09/2006; accepted: 17/09/2006.