Terapia de exposición mediante realidad aumentada: implementación en un tratamiento combinado de fobia específica

Terapia de exposición mediante realidad aumentada: implementación en un tratamiento combinado de fobia específica

This book chapter in Spanish presents a hypothetical clinical case illustrating how augmented reality can be integrated into a combined treatment protocol for specific phobia, describing practical implementation steps and outcomes from a real-world clinical setting.

Abstract

Specific phobia is a highly prevalent mental disorder characterized by a persistent and marked fear of a specific object or situation, along with corresponding avoidance of that object or situation. Exposure therapy, a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) technique, is the treatment of first choice and may include imaginal exposure, in vivo exposure using real stimuli, and, more recently, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). In augmented reality exposure therapy (ARET), clients can interact with a virtual representation of an object or situation in the real world to help reduce fear and avoidance. This chapter describes a blended approach that combines ARET with in vivo exposure. To illustrate this, we present a case focused on the treatment of snake phobia and discuss the competencies and skills therapists need to have. In high-quality treatment, an AR application can be a valuable resource for exposure therapy, as it provides easy access to a wide range of animals that can be presented in a controlled and hierarchical manner.

Reference

De Witte, N. A. J., Van Daele, T., Tarnogol, F., & Scheveneels, S. (2023). Terapia de exposición mediante realidad aumentada: implementación en un tratamiento combinado de fobia específica. In Marti-Noguera, J. J. & Soto-Pérez, F. (Eds.), Casos clínicos en telesalud mental (pp. 129-140). Elsevier.