Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) is now much more than a technological experiment: it has evolved into a clinically grounded and highly effective tool within modern psychotherapy. A recent publication by Rothbaum & Rothbaum (2024) now provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements – and confirms: the applications for VRET are significantly increasing.
What the new research shows
In their publication "Virtual reality exposure therapy advances and potential for clinical and experimental use" in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology (published on May 27, 2025), Barbara O. Rothbaum and Joshua O. Rothbaum analyze new evidence and application areas of VR-based exposure therapy..
It particularly emphasized:
- The continuous expansion of therapeutically usable scenarios, especially for anxiety disorders, PTSD, and social phobias.
- The improvement of accessibility and acceptance, even among previously treatment-resistant patients.
- The paradigm shift from technical to therapeutic design: VR is no longer seen as a gadget, but as a targeted intervention.
The authors emphasize the growing evidence for the effectiveness of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) in treating anxiety disorders and PTSD. VRET allows for a controlled, replicable exposure environment that can be individually adapted. This standardization, combined with flexibility, promotes integration into various clinical contexts and expands the range of applications in psychotherapeutic practice.
The study also emphasizes the importance of VRET as a complementary tool to traditional exposure therapy, particularly in cases where in-vivo exposures are difficult to implement or associated with high stress for patients. Due to the immersive nature of virtual environments, patients can be gradually and controlled confronted with anxiety-provoking stimuli, which can lead to more effective habituation and anxiety reduction.
These findings confirm the relevance and potential of VRET as a valuable tool in modern psychotherapy.
Second Source: The German Perspective
A comprehensive systematic review by Wiebe et al. (2022) in Clinical Psychology Review comes to a similar conclusion: Across all areas of psychopathology, k = 9315 studies were inspected, of which k = 721 studies met the inclusion criteria. Of these studies, 43.97% were classified as assessment-related, 55.48% as therapy-related, and 0.55% as mixed.
The highest research activity was observed for VR exposure therapy for anxiety disorders, PTSD, and substance use disorders, where the most compelling evidence was found, as well as for cognitive training in dementia and social skills training in autism spectrum disorders. They assume that VRET will gradually establish itself in regular patient care.
These international findings confirm: VRET is not only a technological innovation but also a clinically tested procedure – ready for widespread application.
What does that mean for practice?
With the publication of Rothbaum & Rothbaum, it becomes clear once again:
VRET is increasingly becoming an effective method that is gaining importance in the everyday practice of psychotherapy.
Lab E virtuallythere pursues this goal of practical applicability with an open, system-independent approach. The VT system platform allows therapists to quickly get started and use it intuitively – including instructional videos, insights from the video library, and access to the webshop for training and more.
Sources:
- Rothbaum, B.O., & Rothbaum, J.O. (2024). Virtual reality exposure therapy advances and potential for clinical and experimental use. Neuropsychopharmacology. Veröffentlicht: 27. Mai 2025.
- Wiebe, A. et al. (2022). Virtual reality in the diagnostic and therapy for mental disorders: A systematic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 98, 102213.
