Effectiveness of virtual reality in reducing public speaking anxiety: A pilot study

• Main Author: Oliveira, Maria
• Publication Date: 2024
• Other Authors: Almeida, Raquel Simões de, Gomes, Paulo Veloso, Donga, João, Marques, António, Teixeira, Bruno, Pereira, Javier, Simões de Almeida, Raquel, Machado Veloso Gomes, Paulo Sérgio, Rucha das Dores da Costa Donga, João Paulo, Pereira da Silva Marques, António José
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/30052
• topic: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); Public Speaking Anxiety; Glossophobia; Virtual Reality (VR)

Public speaking anxiety (glossophobia) is a manifestation of social anxiety that affects a significant portion of the population, jeopardizing performance in academic, professional, and social contexts. This pilot study examines the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) as a therapeutic tool for reducing public speaking anxiety. Over six VR simulation sessions, the physiological responses of 30 participants, including heart rate (HR) and electrodermal activity, were monitored alongside psychometric assessments. Results demonstrated a significant reduction in HR and improved self-efficacy. These findings recommend combining VR with traditional therapeutic approaches and emerging neuroscience-based methods, such as neurofeedback, to create more personalized treatment interventions.