Emotional Processes in VR Exposure Treatment for Flight Phobia

This study will assess emotional processes and their relation to treatment outcomes during Virtual reality exposure therapy for Flight Phobia. The researchers hypothesize treatment outcomes will be associated with positive changes in emotional constructs

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Key information

Conditions

Fear of Flying Aerophobia

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Sheba Medical Center

Ramat Gan, Israel

About this study

Emotional constructs and emotion regulation capacities play a central role in the severity of anxiety disorders and are directly related to treatment outcomes in different anxiety disorders. In this study we will examine the relation between positive and negative affect, emotion regulation, emotional instability, emotional differentiation, experiential avoidance and therapy outcomes in participants undergoing Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Flight Phobia. We assume that treatment outcomes will be positively related to changes in the regulation, management and experience of emotions.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

diagnosis of Flight phobia based on a structured interview
possession of a smartphone with an active data plan

Exclusion criteria

cardiovascular disease
neurological disorders and history of epilepsy
psychosis
major depression
suicidal behavior
substance abuse.

Treatment and study plan

VRET - Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Behavioral

VRET will include 4 weekly 1-hour sessions over the course of 4 weeks. The treatment protocol is based on the Virtual Reality (VR) treatment manual guidelines (Rothbaum & Hodges, 1997,1999) and includes psychoeducation, anxiety management training, cognitive restructuring and exposure. The first therapy session focuses on creating an individually-tailored conceptualization and treatment plan. Following this process, participant and therapist conduct a short introductory VR flight exposure simulation to familiarize the participant with the VRET apparatus. The VRET apparatus is an advanced, large-scale VR system that allows maximal immersion within the virtual environment. The second, third and fourth sessions include psychoeducation, relaxation training, cognitive restructuring and individually-tailored VR exposures (the therapist can manipulate the turbulence level and other flight-related variables to fit participants' fears and current progress).

Primary outcomes

Changes in FAS (Flight Anxiety Situations Questionnaire) Scores

Time frame: Two weeks prior to therapy and one week after last therapy session (therapy includes 4 weekly 1-hour sessions over the course of 4 weeks)

The Flight Anxiety Situations Questionnaire (Van Grewen, Spinhoven, Van-Dyck, & Dikstra, 1999) is a 32-item, 5-point Likert-scale (1= no anxiety to 5=overwhelming anxiety). The FAS evaluates flight-related anxiety in various situations. We used the total score of the FAS which ranges from 32 to 160 with higher values indicating more flight-related anxiety. Thus, higher values reflect worse outcomes, and lower values reflect better outcomes. The total score is obtained by summing all items.
Changes in FAM (Flight Anxiety Modality Questionnaire) Scores

Time frame: Two weeks prior to therapy and one week after last therapy session (therapy includes 4 weekly 1-hour sessions over the course of 4 weeks).

The Flight Anxiety Modality (FAM) questionnaire (Van Grewen et al. 1999) assesses somatic and cognitive aspects of Flight Phobia. It includes 18 items that are rated using a 5-point scale (1=not at all, 5=very intensely). We used the total score of the FAM which ranges from 18 to 90, with higher values indicating more flight-related anxiety. Thus, higher values reflect worse outcomes, and lower values reflect better outcomes. The total score is obtained by summing all items.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Idan Moshe Aderka

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Emotional Processes During a Randomized Controlled Trial of Virtual Reality Exposure Treatment for Flight Phobia

Important dates

Study start: 2019
Primary completion: 2023
Study completion: 2023
First posted: Dec 30, 2019
Registry last updated: Jun 17, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed