Design of virtual environments for the treatment of agoraphobia: Inclusion of culturally relevant elements for the population of the Dominican Republic

Abstract

Virtual Reality is a powerful tool for the treatment of agoraphobia. However, how effective is the use of these scenarios when they do not resemble the sociocultural context? Literature suggests that the inclusion of culturally relevant elements increases the ecological validity and transferability of learning since it reduces the gap between the virtual and real context. Unfortunately, in Latin America, the development of virtual environments is incipient, and the use of generic virtual environments is commonplace. The objective of this study was to develop virtual environments that include elements that are culturally relevant to the population of the Dominican Republic. Three hundred people with symptoms of agoraphobia were interviewed. Based on the information obtained, four scenarios were designed: house, elevator, park and public transport. In each scenario, the parameters that increase anxiety levels (for example, number of people) may be controlled and modified, allowing the development of exposure levels.