Assessment of virtual reality as an anxiety and disgust provoking tool: The use of VR exposure in individuals with high contamination fear

Preliminary studies have provided promising results on the feasibility of virtual reality (VR) interventions for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The present study investigated whether VR scenarios that were developed contamination concerns evoke anxiety, disgust, and urge to wash in individuals with high (n = 33) low fear. In addition, exposure inducing disgust was examined through testing mediator role relationship between anxiety wash. Participants immersed varying degrees dirtiness rated their level after performing tasks. Data collected September December 2019. participants fear reported higher contamination-related ratings than those significant main effect indicated levels increased increasing overall both groups. Moreover, elicited by mediated findings demonstrated eliciting emotional responses are necessary conducting conclusion, can be used as an alternative tool treatment contamination-based OCD.