A computer-generated treatment may assist young individuals in conquering their fear of needles.
Research has demonstrated that this automated intervention can diminish adolescents’ apprehension towards needles through immersive desensitisation techniques.
Conducted by Oxford University and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, this investigation represents the inaugural clinical examination of virtual reality intervention for needle anxiety among youths.
The findings appeared in The Lancet: eClinical Medicine, with participants ranging from 12 to 15 years old.
Prof Daniel Freeman, a senior clinical psychologist at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, explained that ensuring young people are at ease with vaccinations, blood tests, and other medical interventions involving needles is essential.
Gradual contact with needles and associated equipment has proven effective in addressing such fears, allowing individuals to develop confidence in managing these situations. However, the scarcity of qualified therapists means only a limited number of people can access this beneficial treatment.
Virtual reality presents a compelling alternative, providing therapy through affordable consumer headsets. The programme operates with a virtual therapist, making the treatment fully automated. Individuals find it simpler to engage with feared objects in the virtual environment since they recognise these are not physical, yet the skills they develop translate to actual situations. Furthermore, virtual reality enables the presentation of therapeutic experiences that would be impossible in reality, enhancing engagement, accessibility, and effectiveness.
Between one-fifth and one-half of teenagers experience significant needle-related anxiety, which affects routine immunisation programmes. NHS vaccination goals remain below intended levels, with fear of needles accounting for approximately one-tenth to one-fifth of the gap.
The virtual reality programme extends to two and a half hours and was created alongside teenagers who have personal experience with needle phobias. The experience unfolds in a school setting, where participants are accompanied by a virtual guide called Farah, who explains the nature of needle fear, provides support, and outlines each component of the programme.
Dr Eve Twivy, a clinical psychologist from Oxford University’s Department of Experimental Psychology involved in the trial, noted that the virtual reality application served purposes beyond simple distraction.
Dr Twivy clarified that while virtual reality has previously been employed to distract individuals from discomfort during needle-based procedures, this particular approach directly addressed the underlying fear prompting avoidance of such interventions.
The treatment employs a graduated exposure methodology, beginning with observing needles before advancing to handling, employing, and witnessing needle-based procedures. Activities progress from puncturing balloons with needles to administering an injection to a penguin and a giant, culminating in a gymnasium-based school setting where a nurse administers a vaccination to the participant’s virtual self.