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The Effect of Virtual Reality-Based Therapy on Anxiety Symptoms and Emotion Regulation in Individuals with Schizophrenia
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Akbar Atadokht *    , Hadise Eyvazzadeh Gharajeh , Sara Taghizadeh Hir |
| Mohaghegh Ardabili , khadijeh_eyvazzadeh.1398@yahoo.com |
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Abstract: (127 Views) |
Background and Aim: Schizophrenia is often accompanied by anxiety and difficulties in emotion regulation, which can exacerbate symptoms and impair social functioning. Virtual reality (VR) provides a safe and interactive environment that allows for gradual exposure to anxiety-provoking situations and the practice of adaptive emotion regulation strategies. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of VR-based therapy in reducing anxiety and improving emotion regulation among patients with schizophrenia.
Methods: This experimental study employed a pretest–posttest design with an active control group. The participants were 40 male (M= 38.52, SD= 9.05) inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia at the Dar-ol-Shefa Rehabilitation Center in Ardabil, Iran. Eligible participants were purposively selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received ten weekly 60-minute sessions of VR-based therapy, while the control group received treatment as usual. Data were collected using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire administered at pretest and posttest.
Results: Analysis of covariance indicated that VR-based therapy significantly reduced anxiety symptoms (p < 0.001) and improved components of emotion regulation (p < 0.001). Specifically, cognitive reappraisal scores increased, while emotion suppression scores decreased in the experimental group.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that VR-based therapy can serve as an effective and innovative approach to reducing anxiety and enhancing emotion regulation skills among patients with schizophrenia, particularly in chronic inpatient populations.
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| Keywords: schizophrenia, anxiety, emotion regulation, virtual reality therapy. |
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
General
Received: 2025/09/26 | Revised: 2026/01/18 | Accepted: 2026/01/18
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