The efficacy and therapeutic alliance of augmented reality exposure therapy in treating adults with phobic disorders: systematic review

Hasan, Safa', Alhaj, Hamid and Hassoulas, Athanasios ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1029-1847 2023. The efficacy and therapeutic alliance of augmented reality exposure therapy in treating adults with phobic disorders: systematic review. JMIR Mental Health 10 , e51318. 10.2196/51318

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Abstract

Background: Phobic disorders are characterized by excessive fear of a stimulus that can affect the quality of a patient’s life. The lifetime prevalence in adults is 7.7% to 12.5%. The current literature provides evidence-based inferences about the effectiveness of in-vivo exposure therapy (IVET) in treating phobia. However, this method can put the therapist and the client in danger, with high drop out and refusal rates. A newer approach for exposure therapy using augmented reality technology is under assessment. Objective: This systematic review investigated the novel technology’s efficacy, cost-efficacy, and therapeutic alliance in treating adults with phobia. Methods: An extensive search was conducted using 4 major databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, and Scopus) using a comprehensive list of synonyms for augmented reality exposure therapy (ARET) and phobic disorders. The search targeted any randomized control trial testing ARET in adults with phobic disorders up to August 8, 2022. Results: A total of 6 studies were included, with 208 participants providing results. Studies investigating the efficacy of ARET compared to no intervention showed significant results (P<.05) in the ARET group improvement. Head-to-head comparative studies comparing ARET to IVET showed no significant difference (P>.05) in the effectiveness and therapeutic alliance between both therapies. Further, the results demonstrated that the ARET group had a better long-term effect than IVET, with the ability to put the patients in more situations to face the feared object. Conclusions: The current data suggest clinically significant efficacy and a promising therapeutic alliance of ARET. However, no data are available investigating the cost-effectiveness of ARET. Further research is warranted to ascertain ARET’s cost-effectiveness and examine its efficacy in other populations and anxiety conditions.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Psychology
Subjects:	R Medicine > RZ Other systems of medicine
Publisher:	JMIR Publications
ISSN:	2368-7959
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	4 December 2023
Date of Acceptance:	7 November 2023
Last Modified:	12 Dec 2023 11:43
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/164504

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