Can a VR headset help you overcome social anxiety?
NCT ID NCT07437872
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study is testing whether virtual reality (VR) exposure therapy can help people with social anxiety. Participants will use an Apple Vision Pro headset to practice social situations, with different levels of interaction. The goal is to understand how VR therapy works and whether it can be done without a therapist present. About 45 adults with social anxiety disorder will take part.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Virtual reality exposure therapy using the ExpandXR platform on Apple Vision Pro
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward effective self-guided or minimally assisted VR treatments for social anxiety, making therapy more accessible.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study (45 participants) focused on testing mechanisms, not proving a treatment works. Results may not apply to everyone, and self-guided VR therapy has had mixed success in the past.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Palo Alto University Mountain View Campus
RECRUITINGPalo Alto, California, 94304, United States
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