Virtual Reality Therapy as an Intervention for Adolescents with Social Phobia and its Implications for Self Esteem and Body Image

Abstract

Social phobia, or social anxiety disorder, is a widespread mental health issue that significantly impairs adolescents’ social functioning, self-esteem, and body image. This study investigates the effectiveness of virtual reality therapy combined with cognitive behavioral therapy for reducing social phobia and self-esteem enhancement with adolescents’ body image. A quasi-experimental quantitative design will be used on a purposive sample of 100 adolescents aged 11 to 15 years from preparatory and secondary schools. Data will be collected using validated tools, including the Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised, and will be analyzed to determine the relationship between social phobia reduction and improvements in psychological well-being. The findings are expected to demonstrate that therapy using virtual reality provides a controlled and immersive environment for adolescents to face and manage their fears, improving confidence and interpersonal skills. Nurses played a pivotal role in facilitating virtual reality sessions, providing psychological support, and educating patients and families. The study concludes that integrating virtual reality with cognitive behavioral therapy is a promising therapeutic approach for addressing adolescent social phobia and its psychological consequences. This study will quantitatively assess adolescents’ perceptions and self-reported experiences of social phobia, self-esteem, and body image as measured by standardized instruments.