Virtual Reality Intervention for Speech Anxiety

Public Speaking Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Influence of Mood on Response to Virtual Reality-Based Exposure for Public Speaking Anxiety

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06086756
• Other study ID #: 7164E
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: November 1, 2023
• Est. completion date: December 5, 2023

Study information

• Verified date: December 2023
• Source: Boston University Charles River Campus
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy is an efficacious treatment for speech anxiety and has been delivered effectively in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The present study is designed to evaluate whether mood state moderates outcome to a brief VR exposure intervention.

Description:

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare outcomes of VR exposure therapy for college students with public speaking anxiety following a positive or negative mood induction. The overarching aim of the present study is to determine whether mood state prior to engaging in a brief VR exposure therapy session for public speaking anxiety impacts treatment outcomes.

The study involves three phases: (1) initial screening, (2) in-person assessment and brief exposure intervention for a subset of participants with elevated public speaking anxiety, and (3) a one-week follow-up assessment conducted online. Students who choose to participate and screen high on a public speaking anxiety scale will be assigned to a positive or negative mood induction condition prior to undergoing VR based exposure therapy. Public speaking and social anxiety outcomes are measured immediately post-intervention and one week later.

Researchers will compare participants given a positive mood induction to participants given a negative mood induction to see if public speaking anxiety outcomes differ.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 48
• Est. completion date: December 5, 2023
• Est. primary completion date: December 5, 2023
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Self-report of 18 years of age or older

• Current student at Boston University

• Ability to read English to provide informed consent

• Familiarity with a computer keyboard and mouse or a touch screen device (e.g. phone, tablet).

• For Phase 2: speech anxiety scale score of = 14 on the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension, Public Speaking Subscale (PRCA-PS)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous participation (i.e., no participant may take the survey more than once).

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Anxiety Disorders
• Public Speaking

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Exposure intervention plus positive mood induction
Positive mood induction followed by a brief VR exposure session for public speaking anxiety.
• Exposure intervention plus negative mood induction
Negative mood induction followed by a brief VR exposure session for public speaking anxiety.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders	Boston	Massachusetts

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Boston University Charles River Campus

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Public Speaking Anxiety	Assessed using the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension, Public Speaking Subscale (PRCA-PS)	Comparison of pre-exposure scores to scores from post-treatment, approximately 2 week post-screen
Secondary	Valence	Self-report measure of how participant feels about having to give a speech	Comparison of pre-exposure scores to scores from follow up survey, 1 week post-exposure
Secondary	Social Phobia	Assessed using the social phobia inventory (SPIN)	Comparison of pre-exposure scores to scores from follow up survey, 1 week post-exposure
Secondary	Public Speaking Anxiety	Assessed using the PRCA-PS	Comparison of pre-exposure scores to scores from follow up survey, 1 week post-exposure