Categories
Environment

Auditorium

Auditorium

The same as in the audience, when launching this environment, the patient finds themselves seated, and until the “go to stage” event is activated the patient will remain in this position. Even so, differently to the audience, this time the patient is sitting on seats looking at the stage, where they can see a lobby. Once on the stage they are placed in front of this lobby, and as in the previous environment, the patient can make a short personal presentation and, afterwards, make a report on a previously prepared topic.

SETTINGS VARIABLES

  • Amount of People
    • None 
    • Low (room practically empty)
    • Medium (room almost full of people)
    • Full (room completely full) 
  • Gender
    Choose between a male or female body. A neutral body is selected by default.
  • Skin tone
    Choose the skin tone that best represents your patient to enhance the feeling of immersion.
  • Difficulty
    • Easy (audience that listens attentively and with approval)
    • Hard (audience that is more distracted or disinterested)

EVENTS

  • Go to the stage
    The patient goes onto the stage and is placed behind a table to start the presentation.
  • Positive question
    One listener from the public asks a question that is easy for the patient to answer. The healthcare professional can choose between a series of questions of this type, for example, if they can explain part of the presentation again.
  • Negative question
    In this case, one person from the audience asks a question that is more complicated to answer, something that could make the patient become nervous. The healthcare professional can choose from a series of questions of this type, for example, if they think that their proposal will work, or if they can highlight the weak points of their presentation.
  • Therapist positive feedback
    When the healthcare professional selects this event, one of the audience starts to speak although nothing is heard. Therefore, this button allows the healthcare professional to make a positive remark to the patient about their involvement but by introducing themselves into the virtual environment, so that the patient finds they are even more immersed in that environment.
  • Therapist negative feedback
    This event develops in exactly the same way as the previous setting, but it is reserved for the healthcare professional to make a more critical or negative remark about the patient’s involvement.
  • Applause
    The audience applauds the speaker.
  • Spectator leaves room
    One person gets up and leaves the room.
  • Distraction
    Choice of a series of distractions: yawning, mobile phone, telephone vibration, laughter, coughing.

APPENDIX

List of positive questions

  1. It’s evident that you are passionate about what you’ve explained. Where did the interest come from?
  2. I’ve attended similar conferences before on the same topic but I’ve never been as enthusiastic about it as today. Do you recommend any author or some reading related to what you told us today?
  3. What’s been the biggest obstacles you’ve had to overcome when preparing the subject?
  4. You’ve approached the matter in a very innovative way. You’ve also explained it very clearly and concisely, is this your first time giving this conference?
  5. Thank you very much for your presentation, it was fascinating. I would like to ask you though, what would you highlight from everything that you just explained?
  6. Are you satisfied with the results of your presentation? Could you talk a bit more on the argument that you’ve exposed?
  7. Do you think you could come back another day to repeat the presentation in front of a larger audience?
  8. Could you give an example by placing it in a different context?
  9. Excuse me, I didn’t understand your last point, could you explain it again?
  10. These results are promising, what impact do you think it may have in the future?
  11. Will you make another presentation during these upcoming weeks? I’d like to attend.
  12. What do you think is the scope or limit of what you have just described?

List of negative questions

  1. Could you highlight the strengths and weaknesses of your proposal?
  2. What resources are available for you to implement your plan?
  3. I don’t quite understand the last thing you explain. Could you give another example?
  4. What difficulties do you think may arise in the future?
  5. It started off so well, but the delivery of the findings isn’t as clear. Could you please summarize them again, briefly?
  6. Do you think the results that you’ve shown are realistic?
  7. Do you think that your proposal will work? The current situation doesn’t seem to be the most suitable.
  8. Can you prove what you just said? In my opinion, your argument shows some weaknesses.
  9. “You have made some very interesting proposals, although some of them are a little bit too daring. Have you thought about how you’ll proceed?”
  10. Are you sure that this information comes from reliable sources?
  11. Don’t you think that your point of view has certain limitations? How did you choose your presentation’s approach?
  12. Some of your conclusions seem outdated. Are you aware of the latest trends on this matter?
Categories
Environment

Audience

Audience

In the first moment, the patient is sitting in one of the audience seats. If no event is selected, the patient will remain in this position, and will only be placed on the stage if the healthcare professional selects the event “go on stage”. Once on stage, the user is sitting behind a table, from there they can make a short personal presentation and, afterwards, make a report on a previously prepared topic.

SETTINGS VARIABLES
  • Amount of People
    • None 
    • Minimum (room practically empty)
    • Medium (room almost full of people)
    • Maximum (room completely full) 
  • Gender
    Choose between a male or female body. A neutral body is selected by default.
  • Skin tone
    Choose the skin tone that best represents your patient to enhance the feeling of immersion.
  • Difficulty
    • Low (audience that listens attentively and with approval)
    • High (audience that is more distracted or disinterested)
  • Sanitary mask
    You can choose whether or not the people around you will have a mask.
EVENTS
  • Go to the stage
    The patient goes onto the stage and is placed behind a table to start the presentation.
  • Positive question
    One listener from the public asks a question that is easy for the patient to answer. The healthcare professional can choose between a series of questions of this type, for example, if they can explain part of the presentation again.
  • Negative question
    In this case, one person from the audience asks a question that is more complicated to answer, something that could make the patient become nervous. The healthcare professional can choose from a series of questions of this type, for example, if they think that their proposal will work, or if they can highlight the weak points of their presentation.
  • Public comments
    Some members of the audience start talking amongst themselves.
  • Therapist positive feedback
    When the healthcare professional selects this event, one of the audience starts to speak although nothing is heard. Therefore, this button allows the healthcare professional to make a positive remark to the patient about their involvement but by introducing themselves into the virtual environment, so that the patient finds they are even more immersed in that environment.
  • Therapist negative feedback
    This event develops in exactly the same way as the previous setting, but it is reserved for the healthcare professional to make a more critical or negative remark about the patient’s involvement.
  • Applause
    The audience applauds the speaker.
  • Spectator leaves room
    One person gets up and leaves the room.
  • Distraction.
    Choice of a series of distractions: yawning, mobile phone, telephone vibration, laughter, coughing.

APPENDIX

List of positive questions

  1. It’s evident that you are passionate about what you’ve explained. Where did the interest come from?
  2. I’ve attended similar conferences before on the same topic but I’ve never been as enthusiastic about it as today. Do you recommend any author or some reading related to what you told us today?
  3. What’s been the biggest obstacles you’ve had to overcome when preparing the subject?
  4. You’ve approached the matter in a very innovative way. You’ve also explained it very clearly and concisely, is this your first time giving this conference?
  5. Thank you very much for your presentation, it was fascinating. I would like to ask you though, what would you highlight from everything that you just explained?
  6. Are you satisfied with the results of your presentation? Could you talk a bit more on the argument that you’ve exposed?
  7. Do you think you could come back another day to repeat the presentation in front of a larger audience?
  8. Could you give an example by placing it in a different context?
  9. Excuse me, I didn’t understand your last point, could you explain it again?
  10. These results are promising, what impact do you think it may have in the future?
  11. Will you make another presentation during these upcoming weeks? I’d like to attend.
  12. What do you think is the scope or limit of what you have just described?

List of negative questions

  1. Could you highlight the strengths and weaknesses of your proposal?
  2. What resources are available for you to implement your plan?
  3. I don’t quite understand the last thing you explain. Could you give another example?
  4. What difficulties do you think may arise in the future?
  5. It started off so well, but the delivery of the findings isn’t as clear. Could you please summarize them again, briefly?
  6. Do you think the results that you’ve shown are realistic?
  7. Do you think that your proposal will work? The current situation doesn’t seem to be the most suitable.
  8. Can you prove what you just said? In my opinion, your argument shows some weaknesses.
  9. “You have made some very interesting proposals, although some of them are a little bit too daring. Have you thought about how you’ll proceed?”
  10. Are you sure that this information comes from reliable sources?
  11. Don’t you think that your point of view has certain limitations? How did you choose your presentation’s approach?
  12. Some of your conclusions seem outdated. Are you aware of the latest trends on this matter?

List of public comments

  1. He looks very tense. Yes, it’s true, he could speak louder, it’s not that difficult.
  2. He looks very tense. I bet it’s his first time.
  3. This talk is so boring. I hope it’ll end soon, this is taking forever.
  4. Have you noticed how much he’s shaking? Yes, I’ve noticed. Also he is sweating a lot.
  5. Seems like he lacks self-confidence, he won’t stop turning his head from side to side. You are right.
  6. Can anyone bring some coffee? We are going to end up falling asleep. This is torturing.
  7. Why is his voice trembling? Isn’t he sure about what he’s saying? Does he know what he’s talking about?
Categories
Uncategorized

Real blood draw

Real blood draw

This environment consists of a blood extraction located in a real scenario. Initially the patient will be in a waiting room and after a few seconds the nurse will call him to enter the room where the extraction will take place.

This environment can be very useful for the exploration of the patient’s current state and its anxiogenic configuration in the face of the feared situation. For example, by putting the patient in a situation, negative thoughts or physiological reactions can be analysed (if biofeedback equipment is available).

Categories
Environment

Waiting room blood test

Waiting room blood test

This scenario consists in a waiting room, where the patient is initially placed, and an extraction room, where the healthcare professional can later lead the patient to. In both spaces, the patient can hear different commentaries from other patients related to the needles and then, in the extraction room, he can observe a table with the instrument that will be used (syringes, needles, cotton, etc).

SETTINGS VARIABLES
  • Gender
    Choose between a male or female body. A neutral body is selected by default.
  • Skin tone
    Choose the skin tone that best represents your patient to enhance the feeling of immersion.
  • Select rol
    Patient / Escort
  • Sanitary mask
    You can choose whether or not the people around you will have a mask.
EVENTS
  • Another patient enters
    As long as the patient is in the waiting room, the nurse comes out from the extraction room to call in another patient and they get in the extraction room. After a few minutes the patient comes out.
  • Enter extraction room
    The nurse will call in the patient and they will get in the extraction room.
  • Finger prick
    The nurse will extract blood from the patient’s finger.
  • Injection
    If the healthcare professional chooses this option, the patient will get an injection in his arm.
  • Small extraction
    The patient will get a little blood extraction.
  • Hard extraction
    A considerable amount of blood will be extracted from the patient’s arm.

Categories
Environment

Airplane

Airplane 

This environment takes the patient to the airplane, which is typically the environment that produces the most anxiety in this disorder. 

SETTINGS VARIABLES

  • Show passengers
    No person / Maximum number of people
  • Comments
    When this option is activated, comments from someone in a situation of high intensity anxiety are reproduced.
  • Row
    • Front (in front of the wing)
    • Middle (above it), 
    • Back (behind the wing)
  • Seat position
    Window / Middle / Aisle 
  • Time
    Day / Night
  • Weather
    Sunny / Rainy / Storm

EVENTS

  • Taxi
    The hostesses give the safety  instructions while the plane travels until it reaches the takeoff point.
  • Takeoff
    The engines are heard , the  plane accelerates and takes off.
  • Flying
    The patient is in full flight.
  • Landing
    The captain warns of the arrival at the destination and proceeds  to the landing.
  • Ding
    Reproduces the typical sound of  airplanes when they want to indicate an incident.
  • Turbulence amount
    Available when the patient is within the flight event.

In order to adapt the session to the patient’s needs , you can skip steps along the path and / or repeat any of these steps as many times as you see fit.

Categories
Uncategorized

Trip to the airport

Trip to the airport

The patient is sitting inside the taxi and heading towards the airport terminal.

SETTINGS VARIABLES

  • Time
    Day / Night
  • Weather
    Clear/ Rainy

EVENTS

  • Radio
    News about the weather will be heard. During flight. The news varies according to the chosen climate.
  • Go to final
    The taxi ride does not have a specific duration, it is the healthcare professional who decides when to arrive. This allows the exposure to be adapted to the needs and  pace that the patient needs.

Categories
Uncategorized

Boarding gate

Boarding gate

The patient is in the airport departure lounge.

SETTINGS VARIABLES

  • Cycle
    Day / Night
  • Amount of people
    Lets you decide if there are people at the boarding gate .
  • Weather
    Clear/ Rain

EVENTS

  • Go to screen
    The patient goes to a screen where you can check the information about the next flights.
  • Go to window
    The patient goes to the   window where he can see the  movement of the planes.
  • Go to sitting
    The patient takes a seat  while waiting for the flight to arrive.
  • Go to plane
    By selecting this option, the patient’s flight is announced and he is heading towards inside the plane.
Categories
Uncategorized

At home

At home

This is a scenario aimed at the treatment of anticipatory anxiety, which is an essential component of flight phobia. In this scene, the patient is at home and is about to leave on a trip and must wait for the taxi that will take him to the airport. 

SETTINGS VARIABLES

  • Time
    Day / Night
  • Weather
    Clear/ Rainy

EVENTS

  • TV weather report
    News about the weather forecast are shown on TV. The news vary according to the weather conditions previously  selected.
  • TV crash report
    News about a plane accident are shown on TV.
  • Taxi arrives
    Upon enabling this setting, the taxi driver arrives to pick up the patient and make their way to  the airport.
  • Thunders
    Activates the sound of thunder outside the house.

Categories
Uncategorized

Driving on the highway

Driving on the highway

The highway virtual environment displays a three-lane road with straight sections and curves. In this environment, the healthcare professional can manipulate specific variables in order to design a personalized exposure hierarchy for each patient.

SETTINGS VARIABLES

  • Cars in road
    None / Full
  • Passengers
    None / Full
  • Patient position
    Driver / Passenger
  • Time
    Day / Night
  • Weather
    Clear/ Rainy

EVENTS

  • Turn left
  • Turn right
  • Accelerate
    To regulate the speed of the car. The speedometer will respond according to the selected speed changes. If the vehicle is travelling at the maximum speed (5/5) on the left lane and returns to the center lane, the speed will be reduced to 4 to avoid colliding with the vehicle ahead.
  • Distraction
    • Telephone: the driver receives a call.
    • Passenger: a passenger distracts the driver with his mobile.
    • Radio: the co-pilot plays loud music.
  • Type Road:
    Tunnel / Bridge / Highway
    (Please note that these are infinite stages, so the selected stage will go on until another option is selected.)
  • Curve
    Straight / Mixed / Curves
  • Accident
    Displays a broken car on the right side of the road.
  • Broken engine
    Causes the car to slow down and an error signal appears on the car’s controls.

Categories
Uncategorized

Driving in the city

Driving in the city

This route reproduces a car journey through a city. Includes clinically relevant elements such as straight streets, corners, traffic signs, stop lights and cars moving through the streets.

SETTINGS VARIABLES

  • Number of cars
    Regulates if the car ride takes place with or without cars on the road. Choose among three traffic flow options: none, minimum, medium and maximum.
  • Number of passengers: 
    • Minimum (only the driver)
    • Medium (driver and front passenger) 
    • Maximum (with passengers in the back seat)
  • Seat
    It changes the avatar position (driver/passenger).
  • Time
    Day / Night
  • Weather
    Clear/ Rainy

EVENTS

  • Speed
    The speed can be increased and decreased with a slider control. 
  • Circuit
    Choose between two different routes: Track 1 (less anxiogenic. With straight roads and few curves and intersections) and Track 2 (fewer straight distances, constantly turning corners, cars coming from both ways).
  • Horn
    Reproduces the sound of a horn.
  • Hard brake
    The driver suddenly hits the brakes.
  • Ambulance
    An ambulance with its siren turned on can be heard. The car stops at a traffic light and the ambulance crosses in front.
  • Enable traffic jam
    The driver is stuck in traffic.
  • Disable traffic jam
    To exit the traffic-jam mode.