Virtual Reality Supported Therapy for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Social Anxiety

Prof. Dr Emily Simonoff and Dr Lucia Valmaggia

This proposal will use virtual reality (VR) to improve the treatment of social anxiety among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As anxiety severely impairs the daily functioning of people with ASD, the development of more effective interventions will substantially improve their everyday functioning and quality of life. To our knowledge, this would be the first in the world implementation of VR developed jointly with young people with ASD, and it would provide cuttingedge translational research in the treatment of ASD.