Effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BackgroundTo evaluate the effect of virtual reality therapy on anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults by Meta-analysisMethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted by PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane (from inception to November 2024). Two researchers independent...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Weisi Zeng, Jialan Xu, Jiayan Yu, Xin Chu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1553290/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850076214847340544
author Weisi Zeng
Jialan Xu
Jiayan Yu
Xin Chu
author_facet Weisi Zeng
Jialan Xu
Jiayan Yu
Xin Chu
author_sort Weisi Zeng
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundTo evaluate the effect of virtual reality therapy on anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults by Meta-analysisMethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted by PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane (from inception to November 2024). Two researchers independently performed literature screening, quality evaluation and data extraction, and Stata16.0 and Review Man 5.4 software were used for Meta-analysis.ResultsA total of 33 studies involving 3182 adolescents and adults with anxiety disorders were included. The results of Meta-analysis showed that compared with conventional interventions, virtual reality therapy significantly improved the symptoms and level of anxiety in patients with anxiety disorder [SMD = -0.95, 95%CI (-1.22,-0.69), Z = 7.05, P < 0.00001].ConclusionThe current findings suggest that VR therapy interventions have a positive effect on improving the anxiety state of patients with anxiety disorders. The aforementioned research findings must be confirmed by more high-caliber studies due to the number and quality limitations of the contained literature.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display, identifier CRD42024574772.
format Article
id doaj-art-615f202cde0d452ab1debebe3bae1508
institution DOAJ
issn 1664-0640
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Psychiatry
spelling doaj-art-615f202cde0d452ab1debebe3bae15082025-08-20T02:46:05ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-02-011610.3389/fpsyt.2025.15532901553290Effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsWeisi Zeng0Jialan Xu1Jiayan Yu2Xin Chu3School of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaSchool of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaSchool of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaHospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaBackgroundTo evaluate the effect of virtual reality therapy on anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults by Meta-analysisMethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted by PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane (from inception to November 2024). Two researchers independently performed literature screening, quality evaluation and data extraction, and Stata16.0 and Review Man 5.4 software were used for Meta-analysis.ResultsA total of 33 studies involving 3182 adolescents and adults with anxiety disorders were included. The results of Meta-analysis showed that compared with conventional interventions, virtual reality therapy significantly improved the symptoms and level of anxiety in patients with anxiety disorder [SMD = -0.95, 95%CI (-1.22,-0.69), Z = 7.05, P < 0.00001].ConclusionThe current findings suggest that VR therapy interventions have a positive effect on improving the anxiety state of patients with anxiety disorders. The aforementioned research findings must be confirmed by more high-caliber studies due to the number and quality limitations of the contained literature.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display, identifier CRD42024574772.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1553290/fullvirtual reality therapyvirtual reality exposure therapyadolescentadultanxietyanxiety disorder
spellingShingle Weisi Zeng
Jialan Xu
Jiayan Yu
Xin Chu
Effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Frontiers in Psychiatry
virtual reality therapy
virtual reality exposure therapy
adolescent
adult
anxiety
anxiety disorder
title Effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
title_full Effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
title_fullStr Effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
title_full_unstemmed Effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
title_short Effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
title_sort effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adolescents and adults a systematic review and meta analysis of randomized controlled trials
topic virtual reality therapy
virtual reality exposure therapy
adolescent
adult
anxiety
anxiety disorder
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1553290/full
work_keys_str_mv AT weisizeng effectivenessofvirtualrealitytherapyinthetreatmentofanxietydisordersinadolescentsandadultsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials
AT jialanxu effectivenessofvirtualrealitytherapyinthetreatmentofanxietydisordersinadolescentsandadultsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials
AT jiayanyu effectivenessofvirtualrealitytherapyinthetreatmentofanxietydisordersinadolescentsandadultsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials
AT xinchu effectivenessofvirtualrealitytherapyinthetreatmentofanxietydisordersinadolescentsandadultsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials