Virtual Reality Exposure for Socially Anxious Adolescents

Overall in this project, the primary goal is to evaluate the efficacy of virtual reality exposure (VRE) for adolescents with elevated social anxiety using a three-arm randomized controlled trial: (1) virtual reality exposure (VRE); (2) in vivo exposure (IVE); and (3) waitlist (WL) - the control condition.

It is predicted that both VRE and IVE will be more successful in decreasing social anxiety symptoms than the WL condition at post-assessment and that VRE will be as effective as in vivo in reducing social anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, it is expected that there will be no difference between the two active conditions in the long term (at 3- months \& 6-months follow up). Similar results are expected in the secondary outcome measures, intended to capture the participants' general well-being.

Moreover, the study has the following (secondary) objectives:

* To elucidate potential working mechanisms of VRE and IVE * To identify predictors of adolescents' response to VRE and IVE * To assess to what extent adolescents accept VRE and IVE and how they experience it