Design, development, and validation of a virtual reality software for the treatment of fear of spiders: experiences and preliminary results

Fear and phobia of spiders (arachnophobia) affects a significant percentage of the general population. In particular, it considerably impacts the quality of life of people who avoid open places, sleep in fear, and become anxious about encountering these arachnids. Recently, in terms of treatment, promising results have been reported using virtual reality (VR), which has shown efficacy in addressing the fear and phobia of spiders (Brito and Vicente, 2018). This study presents an experience of designing a virtual reality software (supported by systematic desensitization, mindfulness, and acceptance and commitment therapy) as a tool for treating fear and phobia of spiders. This software was developed to teach students in the Psychotherapeutic Methods and Techniques course at the School of Psychology of Universidad Continental (Arequipa, Peru). This development of a virtual reality experience aims to make a contribution that, in a controlled, gradual, and immersive space, safely exposes patients to situations with spiders in a way that allows the generation of adaptive response mechanisms. It should be noted that professionals from psychology and engineering have participated in all phases of this project. Additionally, the results of a validation process with experts who analyzed this virtual reality software using a specially designed rubric are presented. This validation experience will allow the optimization of this tool.