Virtual reality systems for anxiety mitigation: exploring desktop, immersive and augmented reality

In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a technological tool that could be used to mitigate anxiety, a condition that significantly impacts the well-being and health of a large population. In the literature, VR systems for anxiety mitigation can be classified into two main categories: VR exposure (VRE) therapy systems and VR systems for relaxation train- ing. However, limited research has been conducted to compare different display types. This thesis focuses on three different types of anxiety, exploring and comparing different types of display: desktop VR, immersive VR, and augmented reality (AR) in both categories of VR systems for anxiety mitigation. In particular, we propose and evaluate VR systems designed to mitigate social anxiety-related disorders, i.e., school exam anxiety and public speaking anxiety, comparing the above mentioned display types. Then, we propose and assess a VR system with biofeedback for relaxation training, targeting anxiety mitigation more broadly, comparing desktop and immersive VR. We conclude the thesis by evaluating the therapeutic effects of our VR system with biofeedback for relaxation training on a clinical trial that involved patients with fibromyalgia.