Therapy with Exposure to Virtual Reality and Functional Assessment for Driving Phobia: An Intervention Program

This research evaluated the effects of an intervention program on driving fear, It included functional assessment of behavior and exposure to a virtual reality; the capability of the simulator to generate sense of presence and anxiety in participants with fear of driving, and cybersickness. Six adults aged between 22 and 54, who held driving licenses, and complained of fear or phobia participated in the study. A virtual reality driving simulator was used. The procedure consisted of a non-concurrent multiple-baseline design, with 11 to 14 sessions. The stages included interview, baseline establishment, intervention (virtual reality exposure and behavioral assessment), final session and follow-up after one and three months. The participants had not driven before the intervention program and started to do so both in the virtual and in the non-virtual environment, and reported reduced anxiety. The study concluded that the combination of virtual reality exposure and functional assessment of behaviors contributed for the participants to start driving more and with less fear.