SET-VR
What is SET-VR?
The SET-VR (Simulated Exposure Trainer) project involves the development of a highly realistic and immersive therapy scenario in which therapists can practice delivering exposure therapy with a fake virtual patient that closely represents an individual with anxiety through its expressions, body language, and speech. The SET-VR program will make exposure training more accessible, individualized, and competency-based, which will ideally improve the quality and availability of anxiety treatment options in the community.
Why SET-VR?
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Exposure therapy is a highly effective treatment for individuals with anxiety and OCD
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Few providers offer exposure services because of lack of training and their own anxiety about practicing it with clients.
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The same exposure principles shown to reduce anxious beliefs among clients can also be used during training to reduce therapists’ anxious beliefs about delivering exposure therapy:
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“Exposure to Exposure”​
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Virtual reality (VR) is a promising approach for generating realistic therapy conditions in a cost-effective and highly scalable manner.
Initial development of the SET-VR program is now complete. We are in the process of recruiting 40 therapists to complete a training trial to validate the program.