Author(s): Lopes, Inês ; Almeida, Raquel Simões de ; Gomes, Paulo Veloso ; Marques, António ; Simões de Almeida, Raquel ; Machado Veloso Gomes, Paulo Sérgio ; Pereira da Silva Marques, António José
Date: 2025
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/30710
Origin: Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico do Porto
Subject(s): Anxiety disorders; Arachnophobia; Fear of spiders; Exposure therapy; Virtual reality
Arachnophobia is a specific phobia characterized by an intense and persistent fear of spiders, often leading to avoidance behaviors that can significantly impact daily life. Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) offers a controlled, adaptable, and immersive therapeutic environment, allowing for greater personalization, flexibility, and the real-time modulation of exposure parameters. This pilot study employed a quasi-experimental design without a control group to evaluate the efficacy of a gamified VRET intervention for treating arachnophobia. A sample of 25 participants underwent the intervention, with outcomes assessed through a Behavioral Approach Test (BAT) and self-report measures, including the Fear of Spiders Questionnaire (FSQ) and the Spider Phobia Questionnaire (SPQ-15), administered pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at a two-week follow-up. Findings indicate that gamified VRET led to significant reductions in self-reported fear and avoidance behaviors, suggesting its potential as an effective therapeutic tool for arachnophobia. Although some results were not entirely conclusive, the overall improvements observed support further investigation in larger, controlled trials.
