Developing a user-informed intervention study of a virtual reality therapy for social anxiety in autistic adolescents

TY - JOUR

T1 - Developing a user-informed intervention study of a virtual reality therapy for social anxiety in autistic adolescents

AU - Adams, Lucy

AU - Simonoff, Emily

AU - Tierney, Kevin

AU - Hollocks, Matthew

AU - Brewster, Aylana

AU - Watson, Jennifer

AU - Valmaggia, Lucia

PY - 2022/4/24

Y1 - 2022/4/24

N2 - Social anxiety is prevalent in autistic adolescents. Using virtual reality to deliver exposure tasks in cognitive behavioural therapy (VRCBT) – the treatment-of-choice – may improve its accessibility in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In preparation for testing this, service-providers (i.e. clinicians experienced with this patient group; n = 17), service-users (i.e. autistic adolescents diagnosed with social anxiety; n = 5), and their parents/guardians (n = 5), from local National Health Service (NHS) clinics specialized in working with ASD, were consulted. The aim was to develop user-informed case series, treatment, and VR design protocols for testing the intervention for the first time. Consultees indicated that the VRCBT exposure tasks ought to be self-paced, as individualizable as possible, viewable to the therapist, and provide a step towards real-life exposure. Consultees identified exposure tasks for simulating in VR: approaching and conversing with others, experiencing perceived injustice, the feeling of being the centre of attention, and situations involving novelty and/or lower predictability. Further implications for developing and testing VRCBT and conducting patient and public involvement (PPI) in autistic adolescents with social anxiety are discussed.

AB - Social anxiety is prevalent in autistic adolescents. Using virtual reality to deliver exposure tasks in cognitive behavioural therapy (VRCBT) – the treatment-of-choice – may improve its accessibility in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In preparation for testing this, service-providers (i.e. clinicians experienced with this patient group; n = 17), service-users (i.e. autistic adolescents diagnosed with social anxiety; n = 5), and their parents/guardians (n = 5), from local National Health Service (NHS) clinics specialized in working with ASD, were consulted. The aim was to develop user-informed case series, treatment, and VR design protocols for testing the intervention for the first time. Consultees indicated that the VRCBT exposure tasks ought to be self-paced, as individualizable as possible, viewable to the therapist, and provide a step towards real-life exposure. Consultees identified exposure tasks for simulating in VR: approaching and conversing with others, experiencing perceived injustice, the feeling of being the centre of attention, and situations involving novelty and/or lower predictability. Further implications for developing and testing VRCBT and conducting patient and public involvement (PPI) in autistic adolescents with social anxiety are discussed.

KW - Virtual reality

KW - Social anxiety

KW - Autism spectrum disorder

KW - Participatory design

KW - Patient and public involvement

KW - Clinician-advisory meeting

U2 - 10.1080/24735132.2022.2062151

DO - 10.1080/24735132.2022.2062151

M3 - Article

JO - Design for Health

JF - Design for Health

ER -