Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28540594›Full record

SynthesisCurrent psychiatry reports2017

Recent Progress in Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Phobias: A Systematic Review.

Cristina Botella, Javier Fernández-Álvarez, Verónica Guillén, Azucena García-Palacios, Rosa Baños

Open access · greenAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Current psychiatry reports, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 129 papers, 15 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
129citing papers in PubMed, 15 pooled it
25.8field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

129 citing papers in PubMed, 15 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 450 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Physiological Responses to Virtual Reality-Based Stress Regulation and Relaxation Interventions: A Systematic Review.Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress · 2026
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  14. Neuroscience of Virtual Reality: From Virtual Exposure to Embodied Medicine.Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking · 2019
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69 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Cristina BotellaUniversitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain. botella@uji.es.
Javier Fernández-ÁlvarezUniversitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain.
Verónica GuillénCIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
Azucena García-PalaciosUniversitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain.
Rosa BañosCIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
Universitat Jaume I · ESInstituto de Salud Carlos III · ESSpanish Biomedical Research Centre in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition · ESUniversitat de València · ES

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This review is designed to systematically examine the available evidence about virtual reality exposure therapy's (VRET) efficacy for phobias, critically describe some of the most important challenges in the field and discuss possible directions. Evidence reveals that virtual reality (VR) is an effective treatment for phobias and useful for studying specific issues, such as pharmacological compounds and behavioral manipulations, that can enhance treatment outcomes. In addition, some variables, such as sense of presence in virtual environments, have a significant influence on outcomes, but further research is needed to better understand their role in therapeutic outcomes. We conclude that VR is a useful tool to improve exposure therapy and it can be a good option to analyze the processes and mechanisms involved in exposure therapy and the ways this strategy can be enhanced. In the coming years, there will be a significant expansion of VR in routine practice in clinical contexts.

Indexed as

Phobic DisordersBehavior ControlHumansTreatment OutcomeVirtual RealityVirtual Reality Exposure TherapyMixed realitiesPhobias interventionsPsychological treatmentsSystematic reviewVirtual reality

Identifiers

PMID28540594
OpenAlexW2618420032

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.