| Abstract [eng] |
Public speaking anxiety is a prevalent phenomenon among students, for which virtual reality (VR) therapies are increasingly applied; however, their optimal structure remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and long-term impact of different delivery formats for a psychological support program. Thirty-seven young adults (mean age M = 22.38; SD = 3.01, 70.3% female) were randomly assigned to two groups: a single 3-hour session and three 1-hour sessions. Public speaking anxiety, social anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation were measured using the PSAS, LSAS, and BFNE questionnaires at baseline, after VR sessions, after a 4-week online programme, and at 1-year follow-up. Linear mixed models revealed significant symptom reductions in both groups both during the intervention and at one-year follow-up. When examining long-term effects, the three-session format demonstrated greater effectiveness in reducing social anxiety, while the single-session format was more effective in reducing fear of negative evaluation. These findings support the use of VR-based interventions in psychological practice and suggest that intervention delivery formats can be tailored to individual client needs. |
