Social phobia is one of the most prevalent anxiety disorders. The purpose of this thesis is to emphasize the importance of technology based therapy especially VRT for the treatment of social phobia. The method requires a formative evaluation with focus to create a comprehensible program that could support the feasibility if multimedia based interactive systems being used for treatment process. The methodology requires qualitative analysis of survey and interviews being done on volunteers and participants.
The summative evaluation which has been visualized as a very controlled treatment is expected to generate a final judgment on the issue of technology based treatment while undertaking all issues related the patients irrespective of gender, age-group and education. Thus, the final outcome would finally lead to the assumption those cognitive aspects of the issue of social phobia and how the same can be provided a solution through the use of technology. Introduction
The treatment to psychotherapy after the introduction technology based effort has got modified up to a very considerable level with the case of self-treatment taking up the revolutionary step (Luborsky & DeRubeis, 1984). In addition the rise in involvement of multimedia and further innovations has improved the way VRTS provide help and support to the patients. In the present scenario, technology based self-treatments have been found to be a viable solution for most major psychiatric disorders (Angenendt, 2000, pp.599-604) and Virtual Reality Therapy is equally useful for those who are socio-phobic.
This research domain is still in a very nascent stage and there is a lacking of any clear-cut guidelines over which a platform can be developed to induce further growth in VRTs. This thesis focuses on the issue that divulge into the details and development of VRT and how the same can be presented as a viable solution to Social Phobia. The system is a computer based way for self treatment for socially anxious persons.
Since the research process involves both technology and disorder; hence the whole issue needs to be given a multidisciplinary approach which requires inclusion of experts of both multimedia and computer technology as well as experts form the field of psychotherapy. Moving on the problem part, one can say that the experience of fear is one of the most unpleasant parts of life and any associated reaction is very much appropriate and sometimes quite necessary in situations.
The fear reaction and the attached outcome is something that is associated with sudden change in physiological and mental state of the person which also influences heart rate and autonomic arousal. Also, in case of repetition of anxiety and intense feelings of fear even when there is nothing that could be termed as a dangerous situation, there is a potential risk of getting a long phase of anxiety disorder. The social interaction has also been found to be an important reason behind the occurrence of this sort of disorder.
People have been found to avoid or flee from the situations which may induce fear-evoking instances. Negative evaluation of performance has been one of such interactions which let the creation of condition which actually characterizes excessive and persistent fear (Liebowitz, Gorman, Fyer & Klein, 1985). The last few years have led the medical community to realize this issue as a subject of continuous monitoring and hence an impressive list research activity has been observed.
These intensified research efforts have finally paved way for a number of lead into the detailed picture that happen to be something or exactly related to chronic and debilitating disorder (Liebowitz et al. , 1985). Now living on the importance of the issue and various possibilities to find a cure; self treatment comes into a picture and with this VTR gains attention. This technology based solution is actually a reliable technique to provide better solution through self treatment means. This thesis has got its purpose in presenting this way as a very efficient way of treating social phobia.