Combining virtual reality-based positive mental imagery and dual tasking increases children's willingness to exposure.
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| Title: | Combining virtual reality-based positive mental imagery and dual tasking increases children's willingness to exposure. |
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| Authors: | Bragt-de Jong, H. J. (AUTHOR), Dejonckheere, E. (AUTHOR), Smeets, T. (AUTHOR), Lodder, P. (AUTHOR), Karreman, A. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Cognition & Emotion. Mar2026, Vol. 40 Issue 2, p389-403. 15p. |
| Subjects: | Virtual reality, Mental imagery, Emotion regulation, Phobias, Dual-task paradigm, Anxiety treatment, School children |
| Abstract: | This experiment aimed to test whether FutureMe, a VR-tool combining positive mental imagery and dual tasking, is efficacious in increasing willingness to exposure, and decreasing distress, emotionality, and vividness, of children's autobiographical fears, compared to an active VR control condition. Additionally, the moderating role of emotion regulation difficulties was investigated. Children (N = 557; 53.9% boys), with a mean age of 10.14 years (SD = 1.90), were randomly allocated to either the FutureMe (n = 281) or control (n = 276) condition. Willingness to exposure, distress, emotionality, and vividness were measured at pre- and posttest on a VAS from 0 (not at all) to 100 (very much). Parents (n = 437) filled out the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale–Parent Report, assessing their child's emotion regulation difficulties. Willingness to exposure increased only in the FutureMe condition. Distress and emotionality decreased in both conditions. Vividness decreased only in the control condition. Emotion regulation difficulties moderated the pre-post change of distress and emotionality only within the control condition. This study shows that the FutureMe could improve children's willingness to exposure, which in clinical practice could lead to less drop-out in anxiety therapy for children. More research is needed on the separate effects of dual tasking and positive mental imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Cognition & Emotion is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 191765923 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Combining virtual reality-based positive mental imagery and dual tasking increases children's willingness to exposure. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bragt-de+Jong%2C+H%2E+J%2E%22">Bragt-de Jong, H. J.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dejonckheere%2C+E%2E%22">Dejonckheere, E.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Smeets%2C+T%2E%22">Smeets, T.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lodder%2C+P%2E%22">Lodder, P.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Karreman%2C+A%2E%22">Karreman, A.</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Cognition+%26+Emotion%22">Cognition & Emotion</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 40 Issue 2, p389-403. 15p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Virtual+reality%22">Virtual reality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+imagery%22">Mental imagery</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotion+regulation%22">Emotion regulation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phobias%22">Phobias</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dual-task+paradigm%22">Dual-task paradigm</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anxiety+treatment%22">Anxiety treatment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+children%22">School children</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This experiment aimed to test whether FutureMe, a VR-tool combining positive mental imagery and dual tasking, is efficacious in increasing willingness to exposure, and decreasing distress, emotionality, and vividness, of children's autobiographical fears, compared to an active VR control condition. Additionally, the moderating role of emotion regulation difficulties was investigated. Children (N = 557; 53.9% boys), with a mean age of 10.14 years (SD = 1.90), were randomly allocated to either the FutureMe (n = 281) or control (n = 276) condition. Willingness to exposure, distress, emotionality, and vividness were measured at pre- and posttest on a VAS from 0 (not at all) to 100 (very much). Parents (n = 437) filled out the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale–Parent Report, assessing their child's emotion regulation difficulties. Willingness to exposure increased only in the FutureMe condition. Distress and emotionality decreased in both conditions. Vividness decreased only in the control condition. Emotion regulation difficulties moderated the pre-post change of distress and emotionality only within the control condition. This study shows that the FutureMe could improve children's willingness to exposure, which in clinical practice could lead to less drop-out in anxiety therapy for children. More research is needed on the separate effects of dual tasking and positive mental imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Cognition & Emotion is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/02699931.2025.2508400 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 15 StartPage: 389 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Virtual reality Type: general – SubjectFull: Mental imagery Type: general – SubjectFull: Emotion regulation Type: general – SubjectFull: Phobias Type: general – SubjectFull: Dual-task paradigm Type: general – SubjectFull: Anxiety treatment Type: general – SubjectFull: School children Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Combining virtual reality-based positive mental imagery and dual tasking increases children's willingness to exposure. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bragt-de Jong, H. J. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Dejonckheere, E. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Smeets, T. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lodder, P. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Karreman, A. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 03 Text: Mar2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 02699931 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 40 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Cognition & Emotion Type: main |
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