Public Speaking AnxietyVRanxNCT06214039

Virtual Reality Exposure for Public Speaking Anxiety

A study testing Exposure in virtual reality and text based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for public speaking anxiety in people with Public Speaking Anxiety, run by Vilnius University at 1 site in Lithuania.

Terminated

Stopped early. The study ended before it was planned to and will not resume.

Official record

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Trial summary

Who is it for?: Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for: Public Speaking Anxiety
What is being tested?: Exposure in virtual reality and text based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for public speaking anxiety
Type of treatment: Lifestyle or therapy programme
Could I receive a placebo?: No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people: 37 participants
Where: 1 siteLithuania
Study dates: 14 Feb 2024to 1 Apr 2026
Phase: Interventional
Are there results?: None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

Ages 18 to 30 years
All sexes
Healthy volunteers accepted
Adult

Who may be able to join

aged 18-30 and pursuing higher education;
experiencing a significant level of public speaking anxiety (60+ on PSAS);
able to use a computer and have access to the internet for the duration of the study;
able to understand, write and speak in Lithuanian;
available to participate in one or three in-person intervention sessions and can devote the time to participate in a 4-week online program following the intervention sessions.

Who cannot join

a history of seizures or a history of epilepsy;
other significant medical conditions that would prevent them from participating in the program;
high levels of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 rating of 15 and above and mentions of suicidal ideation) or other significant psychiatric conditions that would interfere with participation in the program;
a tendency to have extreme seasickness reactions or a history of adverse physical reactions to virtual reality experiences or difficulty with or lack of stereoscopic vision;
current involvement in other psychological interventions such as psychological counseling or psychotherapy;
use of psychoactive drugs, unless stable for three months;
current participation in other programs aimed at reducing public speaking anxiety.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Lithuania1 site

Vilnius University
Vilnius, Lithuania, LT-01513

Other trials in Lithuania

About this study

Official title: Virtual Reality Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Public Speaking Anxiety

This study aims to examine the efficacy of exposure using virtual reality (VR) for public speaking anxiety in young adults in two treatment arms: a one-session VR exposure therapy with a 4-week online transition intervention versus a three-session VR exposure therapy with a 4-week online transition intervention. Previous studies have demonstrated that one-session therapy (OST) is comparable to prolonged exposure-based therapies in terms of effectively reducing public speaking anxiety. Moreover, VR offers many benefits compared to in-person exposure, namely the ability to produce anxiety-evoking stimuli without having to leave the therapist's room. However, OST VR exposure has not been directly compared to prolonged VR exposure and not for public speaking anxiety.

Conditions: Public Speaking Anxiety
Being tested: Exposure in virtual reality and text based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for public speaking anxiety
Keywords: public speaking anxiety, virtual reality, social anxiety, psychological intervention, exposure

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

Exposure in virtual reality and text based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for public speaking anxietyBehavioural
A 3-hour one session exposure therapy for public speaking anxiety

Study groups in NCT06214039
Study group	Role	What they receive
One session therapy	Active comparator	One session exposure therapy followed by 4 weeks of internet-delivered self-help with therapist support on demand Receives: Behavioral: Exposure in virtual reality and text based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for public speaking anxiety
One session therapy - divided into 3	Experimental	Three session exposure therapy followed by 4 weeks of internet-delivered self-help with therapist support on demand Receives: Behavioral: Exposure in virtual reality and text based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for public speaking anxiety

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

Public Speaking Anxiety Scale (PSAS).
Canonical total score will be used. Measure is self-rated, online. The scale consists of 17 self-report statements measured on a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 "not at all", to 5 "extremely". A higher score indicates higher levels of experienced public speaking anxiety.
Measured: Pre-treatment, mid-treatment, immediately after the intervention, 3 and 12 months post-treatment

Secondary outcomes (3)

Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale - Self-Report (LSAS-SR)
Canonical total score will be used. Measure is self-rated, online. Items are rated using 4-point Likert scales ranging from 0 to 3. A higher score indicates more severe symptoms.
Measured: Pre-treatment, mid-treatment, immediately after the intervention, 3 and 12 months post-treatment
Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE)
Canonical total score will be used. Measure is self-rated, online. The BFNE is a 12-item, 5-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 "not at all" to 5 "extremely". Higher scores indicate higher fear. In Lithuanian version of the BFNE the scores range from 0 "not at all" to 4 "extremely".
Measured: Pre-treatment, mid-treatment, immediately after the intervention, 3 and 12 months post-treatment
Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ)
Canonical total score will be used. Measure is self-rated, online. Each of the 14 items is rated on a 7-point Likert scale and the score is calculated by summing the ratings for each item.
Measured: Pre-treatment, mid-treatment, immediately after the intervention, 3 and 12 months post-treatment

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

14 Feb 20241 Apr 2026

First posted19 Jan 2024
Study start14 Feb 2024
Primary completion14 Feb 2026
Study completion1 Apr 2026

Why it stopped: Not enough of the screened participants met the inclusion criteria. Despite extensive recruitment efforts we could not recruit enough participants to reach the calculated target sample of 86 for randomization.

Resources

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
Other trials for Public Speaking AnxietyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design

Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase N/A
Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: None (open label)
Enrolment: 37 participants (actual)

IDs, dates and publications

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06214039
Sponsor's protocol ID: VRanx_001
Acronym: VRanx
Status last verified: Jul 2026
First submitted: 18 Dec 2023
Last updated: 17 Jul 2026
Results posted: No
Data monitoring committee: No
FDA-regulated drug: No
FDA-regulated device: No
Individual data sharing: Yes: Following the publication of trial results, participant-level data without identifying information, i.e., anonymized, will be stored on a national data archive MIDAS and will be made available to researchers affiliated with research institutions upon a reasonable request. Statistical analysis procedures will be clearly defined in papers on trial results.

Publications

Gegieckaite G, Zamalijeva O, Petraskaite K, Nagevice E, Lindner P, Carlbring P, Van Daele T, Andersson G, Eimontas J. One-Session Versus Three-Sessions of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Public Speaking Anxiety: Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2026 Aug 25;15:e89612. doi: 10.2196/89612.
PubMed 42640822

Want to know more?

The sponsor has not listed a contact. The official record may have more details.

Talk to your doctor first and take this page with you. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

Questions to ask the study team

What is the study trying to find out?
What would I need to do, and how often would I visit?
Could I receive a placebo instead of the treatment?
What are the possible risks and benefits for me?
Will it cost me anything? Are travel or time paid for?
Can I keep seeing my own doctor during the study?
What happens when the study ends?

See locations

Recruiting
Reward Processing and Exposure Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia), Public Speaking Anxiety
Not yet recruiting
VR-Counseling to Reduce Public Speaking Anxiety
Anxiety and Distress, Anxiety
Recruiting
Enhancing Generalization of Virtual Reality Exposure for Public Speaking Anxiety
Public Speaking Anxiety, Public Speaking Fear
Recruiting
HablaRÉ: Self-applied Online Training for Correcting Emotional Reasoning Biases in Public Speaking Anxiety.
Public Speaking Anxiety
Recruiting
Group Exposure Workshops for Socially Anxious Undergraduates
Social Anxiety Disorder, Public Speaking Fear

All Public Speaking Anxiety trials

Study at a glance

From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.

Official title: Virtual Reality Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Public Speaking Anxiety
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06214039
Acronym / sponsor ID: VRanx / VRanx_001
Conditions: Public Speaking Anxiety
Keywords: public speaking anxiety, virtual reality, social anxiety, psychological intervention, exposure
Study type: Interventional
Recruitment status: TerminatedReason stopped: Not enough of the screened participants met the inclusion criteria. Despite extensive recruitment efforts we could not recruit enough participants to reach the calculated target sample of 86 for randomization.
Enrolment: 37 participants (actual)
Lead sponsor: Vilnius UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
Collaborators: Linkoeping University, Stockholm University, Thomas More University of Applied Sciences
Study start: 14 Feb 2024 (actual)
Primary completion: 14 Feb 2026 (actual)
Study completion: 1 Apr 2026 (actual)
First posted: 19 Jan 2024 (actual)
Results: Not posted in the source record

Clinical summary

The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.

Study design

Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: None (open label)
Number of arms: 2

Arm	Type	Receives
One session therapy	Active comparator	Behavioral: Exposure in virtual reality and text based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for public speaking anxietyOne session exposure therapy followed by 4 weeks of internet-delivered self-help with therapist support on demand
One session therapy - divided into 3	Experimental	Behavioral: Exposure in virtual reality and text based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for public speaking anxietyThree session exposure therapy followed by 4 weeks of internet-delivered self-help with therapist support on demand

Who may qualify

Ages: 18 to 30 years
Sex: All
Healthy volunteers: Accepted
Age groups: Adult

Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)

aged 18-30 and pursuing higher education;
experiencing a significant level of public speaking anxiety (60+ on PSAS);
able to use a computer and have access to the internet for the duration of the study;
able to understand, write and speak in Lithuanian;
available to participate in one or three in-person intervention sessions and can devote the time to participate in a 4-week online program following the intervention sessions.

Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)

a history of seizures or a history of epilepsy;
other significant medical conditions that would prevent them from participating in the program;
high levels of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 rating of 15 and above and mentions of suicidal ideation) or other significant psychiatric conditions that would interfere with participation in the program;
a tendency to have extreme seasickness reactions or a history of adverse physical reactions to virtual reality experiences or difficulty with or lack of stereoscopic vision;
current involvement in other psychological interventions such as psychological counseling or psychotherapy;

Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Interventions

Intervention	Type	Arms
Exposure in virtual reality and text based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for public speaking anxietyA 3-hour one session exposure therapy for public speaking anxiety	Behavioural	One session therapy, One session therapy - divided into 3

Primary outcome

Public Speaking Anxiety Scale (PSAS).
Time frame: Pre-treatment, mid-treatment, immediately after the intervention, 3 and 12 months post-treatment
Canonical total score will be used. Measure is self-rated, online. The scale consists of 17 self-report statements measured on a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 "not at all", to 5 "extremely". A higher score indicates higher levels of experienced public speaking anxiety.

3 secondary outcomes

Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale - Self-Report (LSAS-SR)
Time frame: Pre-treatment, mid-treatment, immediately after the intervention, 3 and 12 months post-treatment
Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE)
Time frame: Pre-treatment, mid-treatment, immediately after the intervention, 3 and 12 months post-treatment
Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ)
Time frame: Pre-treatment, mid-treatment, immediately after the intervention, 3 and 12 months post-treatment

Results and safety

The study was stopped early (reason given: Not enough of the screened participants met the inclusion criteria. Despite extensive recruitment efforts we could not recruit enough participants to reach the calculated target sample of 86 for randomization.). Results are not available in the source record.

Research links

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Jul 2026.
Derived from this study: PubMed 42640822Gegieckaite G, Zamalijeva O, Petraskaite K, Nagevice E, Lindner P, Carlbring P, Van Daele T, Andersson G, Eimontas J. One-Session Versus Three-Sessions of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Public Speaking Anxiety: Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2026 Aug 25;15:e89612. doi: 10.2196/89612.
Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Following the publication of trial results, participant-level data without identifying information, i.e., anonymized, will be stored on a national data archive MIDAS and will be made available to researchers affiliated with research institutions upon a reasonable request. Statistical analysis procedures will be clearly defined in papers on trial results.

Related trials for Public Speaking Anxiety

Recruiting
Reward Processing and Exposure Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia), Public Speaking Anxiety
Not yet recruiting
VR-Counseling to Reduce Public Speaking Anxiety
Anxiety and Distress, Anxiety
Recruiting
Enhancing Generalization of Virtual Reality Exposure for Public Speaking Anxiety
Public Speaking Anxiety, Public Speaking Fear
Recruiting
HablaRÉ: Self-applied Online Training for Correcting Emotional Reasoning Biases in Public Speaking Anxiety.
Public Speaking Anxiety
Recruiting
Group Exposure Workshops for Socially Anxious Undergraduates
Social Anxiety Disorder, Public Speaking Fear

Referral and contact

AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.

Jonas Eimontas, PhD study chair

Vilnius University

1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Lithuania. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Public Speaking Anxiety Scale (PSAS). (time frame: Pre-treatment, mid-treatment, immediately after the intervention, 3 and 12 months post-treatment). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06214039, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Jul 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 1 Nov 2026.