Researchers from the University of Basel have created a new augmented reality smartphone app that allows people to fight arachnophobia, the intense fear of spiders. The app has proven beneficial to people who have suffered from phobia in a clinical study.
After a few training sessions at home, the team learned that test subjects using the app reported a reduced fear of real spiders. Arachnophobia is one of the most common phobias that is seen in people, and it can impact the lives of those who suffer from this condition.
Similar to exposure therapy
People try to avoid situations where there’s a possibility of encountering spiders, resulting in restrictions on their daily lives. A common treatment for arachnophobia is known as exposure therapy, where people are exposed to spiders under a therapist’s guidance.
Researchers working on the project developed an AR app that projects the spider on any surface to help people reduce their fear of spiders. The researchers say that the app has shown promising results in treating arachnophobia. The app dubbed Phobys is based on the idea of exposure therapy and projects a realistic spider model.
The app was tested in a clinical trial with 66 subjects, and all the subjects feared spiders. Some of them completed six half-hour training sessions using Phobys for over two weeks and others having no intervention.
Helping people fight their fear significantly
Before and after the AR app treatment, the participants encountered a real spider in see-through box, getting as close as they feel comfortable. Phobys reduced severe fear of spiders greatly, enabling the people who used it to get closer to the real spider than the control group.
The new app comes with nine levels allowing users to get closer to the virtual spider and interact with it. Once the app treatment is completed, users are assessed for their level of fear of spiders. The app can be downloaded by both Android and iOS users and can be used alone for mild arachnophobia. Phobys also offers in-app purchases, offering training to reduce the fear of spiders.
