PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review provides an overview of current methods and important aspects to consider when applying virtual worlds in the treatment of social anxiety disorder (SAD). RECENT FINDINGS Different aspects such as dialogs between avatars and patients have been investigated as well as virtual audiences, emotional facial expression, and verbal interaction with avatars. Results of these studies are promising. Few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have investigated the efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) in SAD. Unfortunately, most RCTs into the efficacy of VRET in comparison with exposure in vivo in SAD have been conducted with a combination of cognitive interventions and VRET. No differences between these conditions were found, but the pure effect of VRET as a stand-alone treatment has only been investigated in one RCT, wherein VRET was not superior to exposure in vivo. Current research into different facets of SAD and VRET has produced promising results with respect to technological aspects. No differences in efficacy between cognitive behavior therapy and VRET were found, but there is a clear need for studies investigating the efficacy of VRET as a stand-alone treatment and the therapeutic processes involved before this therapy can be disseminated in routine clinical practice.

中文翻译：

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社交焦虑症的虚拟现实疗法。


综述目的本综述概述了当前的方法以及应用虚拟世界治疗社交焦虑症（SAD）时需要考虑的重要方面。最近的发现已经对化身与患者之间的对话、虚拟观众、情感面部表情以及与化身的言语互动等不同方面进行了研究。这些研究的结果是有希望的。很少有随机对照试验 (RCT) 调查了虚拟现实暴露疗法 (VRET) 对 SAD 的疗效。不幸的是，大多数关于 VRET 与 SAD 体内暴露效果比较的随机对照试验都是结合认知干预和 VRET 进行的。这些条件之间没有发现差异，但 VRET 作为独立治疗的纯粹效果仅在一项随机对照试验中进行了研究，其中 VRET 并不优于体内暴露。目前对 SAD 和 VRET 不同方面的研究在技术方面已经取得了有希望的结果。认知行为疗法和 VRET 之间的疗效没有发现差异，但显然需要进行研究来调查 VRET 作为独立治疗的功效以及在该疗法可以在常规临床实践中传播之前所涉及的治疗过程。