

de Recherche et d’Innovation
en Cybersécurité et Société
Delangle, M.; Moïse-Richard, A.; Leclercq, A. -L.; Labbé, D.; Bouchard, S.; Andrews, S.; Ménard, L.
Speaking face-to-face with a virtual avatar to reduce anxiety in students who stutter: Tool development and pilot study results Journal Article
In: Journal of Fluency Disorders, vol. 87, 2026, ISSN: 0094730X (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Adolescent, adult, Anxiety, Arousal, article, Avatar, avoidance behavior, Canada, Child, clinical article, cognitive behavioral therapy, complication, controlled study, distance learning, ecological validity, electrocardiogram, electrodermal response, exposure, female, Heart Rate, heart rate variability, human, Humans, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Likert scale, male, nonverbal communication, physiological stress, Pilot Projects, pilot study, procedures, psychology, questionnaire, randomized controlled trial, role playing, School-age children, Self Concept, Self Efficacy, self report, Signal processing, skin conductance, social anxiety, speech, student, Students, Stuttering, Therapy, treatment outcome, virtual reality, virtual reality exposure therapy
@article{delangle_speaking_2026,
title = {Speaking face-to-face with a virtual avatar to reduce anxiety in students who stutter: Tool development and pilot study results},
author = {M. Delangle and A. Moïse-Richard and A. -L. Leclercq and D. Labbé and S. Bouchard and S. Andrews and L. Ménard},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105028302364&doi=10.1016%2Fj.jfludis.2026.106194&partnerID=40&md5=af0d246f9187ee19796f36456887400b},
doi = {10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106194},
issn = {0094730X (ISSN)},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Fluency Disorders},
volume = {87},
abstract = {Purpose Speaking in class is challenging for students who stutter. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure in virtual reality (VR) emerges as a promising intervention for treating speaking anxiety in pediatric populations. This pilot study tested if real-time avatar-based VR can elicit anxiety responses while remaining acceptable to youth who stutter. Method Twelve students who stutter (aged 9–18) were randomly assigned to a single training session conducted either (1) in VR with a realistic avatar controlled live by their SLP, or (2) in role-play with their SLP, before facing a real actor. We assessed system acceptability, anxiety levels and perceived self-efficacy. Results The VR system was well accepted and elicited physiological arousal comparable to real-life interactions. Although participants reported experiencing less anxiety during VR, skin conductance level showed higher arousal; suggesting a divergence between the subjective report and physiological response. Finally, one training session (either in VR or with the SLP) did not produce gains in self-efficacy or decrease in anxiety related to the final real-actor conversation. Conclusion This study demonstrates evidence that the potential use of immersive VR could represent an acceptable and viable complementary strategy for SLP treatment, that could control exposure parameters while evoking physiological responses similar to real-life contexts. The differences between subjective and physiological measures suggest that VR is inducing anxiety responses differently than it was perceived. Further research could investigate the use of VR as anxiety interventions for students who stutter and should be explored across multi-session studies to understand their therapeutic effect. © 2026 The Authors.},
keywords = {Adolescent, adult, Anxiety, Arousal, article, Avatar, avoidance behavior, Canada, Child, clinical article, cognitive behavioral therapy, complication, controlled study, distance learning, ecological validity, electrocardiogram, electrodermal response, exposure, female, Heart Rate, heart rate variability, human, Humans, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Likert scale, male, nonverbal communication, physiological stress, Pilot Projects, pilot study, procedures, psychology, questionnaire, randomized controlled trial, role playing, School-age children, Self Concept, Self Efficacy, self report, Signal processing, skin conductance, social anxiety, speech, student, Students, Stuttering, Therapy, treatment outcome, virtual reality, virtual reality exposure therapy},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Alessandra, G.; Beatrice, D. M.; Sara, C.; Roberta, M.; Martina, V.; Patrycja, K.; Maurizio, B.; Luca, B.; Adelaide, D. V. Laura; Stéphane, B.
In: British Journal of Health Psychology, vol. 31, no. 1, 2026, ISSN: 1359107X (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: adult, controlled study, female, Heart Rate, human, Humans, hypertension, Immersive virtual reality, mental stress, Middle Aged, Narration, pathophysiology, physiology, Pilot Projects, pilot study, procedures, Psychological, psychology, Pulmonary, pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, randomized controlled trial, rehabilitation, relaxation, Relaxation Therapy, relaxation training, Stress, Therapy, verbal communication, virtual reality
@article{alessandra_preselected_2026,
title = {Preselected and preferred immersive virtual reality versus narrative alone to induce post-stress relaxation in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension: A pilot study on perceived stress and heart rate},
author = {G. Alessandra and D. M. Beatrice and C. Sara and M. Roberta and V. Martina and K. Patrycja and B. Maurizio and B. Luca and D. V. Laura Adelaide and B. Stéphane},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105029595132&doi=10.1111%2Fbjhp.70059&partnerID=40&md5=b86f0151066a7923d8854913cbd54318},
doi = {10.1111/bjhp.70059},
issn = {1359107X (ISSN)},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-01},
journal = {British Journal of Health Psychology},
volume = {31},
number = {1},
abstract = {Objectives: Several studies have shown the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (IVR)-based relaxation techniques in alleviating stress within the general population. However, few data are available on patients, or on the effectiveness of different scenarios in inducing relaxation. This pilot study aims to compare the effectiveness of three relaxation techniques—preselected IVR (IVR-PS), preferred IVR (i.e. chosen by the participant from different alternatives—IVR-PR), and narrative alone (CTR)—in reducing physiological and psychological stress in 16 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) female patients (N = 16, average age: 46 ± 10.66 years; average education: 13.31 ± 3.8 years; mean duration of illness: 8.56 ± 5.24 years) following an acute stress. Methods: Patients performed a mental stress test followed by three different relaxation sessions presented in a randomized order on three separate occasions. Self-perceived stress, level of relaxation, and heart rate (HR) were monitored during the sessions. Participants' ratings of their experiences were also collected. Results: The results indicated that the three relaxation methods were equally effective in reducing perceived stress induced by acute stress and in lowering HR. However, greater cognitive activation was reported in the two IVR conditions compared with the narrative condition. Conclusions: This is the first study to show evidence of the impact of IVR on a rare population. Despite the lack of significant differences between the two IVR and narrative-alone conditions in physiological and subjective relaxation, more than half of the participants expressed a subjective preference for the virtual experience, especially for the preferred one. © 2026 The Author(s). British Journal of Health Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.},
keywords = {adult, controlled study, female, Heart Rate, human, Humans, hypertension, Immersive virtual reality, mental stress, Middle Aged, Narration, pathophysiology, physiology, Pilot Projects, pilot study, procedures, Psychological, psychology, Pulmonary, pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, randomized controlled trial, rehabilitation, relaxation, Relaxation Therapy, relaxation training, Stress, Therapy, verbal communication, virtual reality},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Sert, O. P.; Potvin, S.; Lipp, O.; Dellazizzo, L.; Laurelli, M.; Breton, R.; Lalonde, P.; Phraxayavong, K.; O'Connor, K.; Pelletier, J. -F.; Boukhalfi, T.; Renaud, P.; Dumais, A.
Virtual reality therapy for refractory auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia: A pilot clinical trial Journal Article
In: Schizophrenia Research, vol. 197, pp. 176–181, 2018, ISSN: 09209964, (Publisher: Elsevier B.V.).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: adult, article, auditory hallucination, auditory verbal hallucination, clinical article, clinical effectiveness, computer assisted therapy, Computer-Assisted, controlled study, Cross-Over Studies, crossover procedure, disease severity, distress syndrome, female, follow up, Follow-Up Studies, hallucination, Hallucinations, human, Humans, male, Middle Aged, neuroleptic agent, outcome assessment, Outcome Assessment (Health Care), phase 2 clinical trial, physiology, Pilot Projects, pilot study, priority journal, procedures, psychotherapy, quality of life, randomized controlled trial, schizophrenia, Speech Perception, symptom, Therapy, therapy delay, therapy effect, treatment duration, treatment response, virtual reality, virtual reality exposure therapy
@article{du_sert_virtual_2018,
title = {Virtual reality therapy for refractory auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia: A pilot clinical trial},
author = {O. P. Sert and S. Potvin and O. Lipp and L. Dellazizzo and M. Laurelli and R. Breton and P. Lalonde and K. Phraxayavong and K. O'Connor and J. -F. Pelletier and T. Boukhalfi and P. Renaud and A. Dumais},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85042420594&doi=10.1016%2fj.schres.2018.02.031&partnerID=40&md5=fe98669ecfdfb69d05cc9ebb58fecdcc},
doi = {10.1016/j.schres.2018.02.031},
issn = {09209964},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
journal = {Schizophrenia Research},
volume = {197},
pages = {176–181},
publisher = {Elsevier B.V.},
abstract = {Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental illness that poses significant challenges. While many pharmacological and psychosocial interventions are available, many treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients continue to suffer from persistent psychotic symptoms, notably auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH), which are highly disabling. This unmet clinical need requires new innovative treatment options. Recently, a psychological therapy using computerized technology has shown large therapeutic effects on AVH severity by enabling patients to engage in a dialogue with a computerized representation of their voices. These very promising results have been extended by our team using immersive virtual reality (VR). Our study was a 7-week phase-II, randomized, partial cross-over trial. Nineteen schizophrenia patients with refractory AVH were recruited and randomly allocated to either VR-assisted therapy (VRT) or treatment-as-usual (TAU). The group allocated to TAU consisted of antipsychotic treatment and usual meetings with clinicians. The TAU group then received a delayed 7 weeks of VRT. A follow-up was ensured 3 months after the last VRT therapy session. Changes in psychiatric symptoms, before and after TAU or VRT, were assessed using a linear mixed-effects model. Our findings showed that VRT produced significant improvements in AVH severity, depressive symptoms and quality of life that lasted at the 3-month follow-up period. Consistent with previous research, our results suggest that VRT might be efficacious in reducing AVH related distress. The therapeutic effects of VRT on the distress associated with the voices were particularly prominent (d = 1.2). VRT is a highly novel and promising intervention for refractory AVH in schizophrenia. © 2018},
note = {Publisher: Elsevier B.V.},
keywords = {adult, article, auditory hallucination, auditory verbal hallucination, clinical article, clinical effectiveness, computer assisted therapy, Computer-Assisted, controlled study, Cross-Over Studies, crossover procedure, disease severity, distress syndrome, female, follow up, Follow-Up Studies, hallucination, Hallucinations, human, Humans, male, Middle Aged, neuroleptic agent, outcome assessment, Outcome Assessment (Health Care), phase 2 clinical trial, physiology, Pilot Projects, pilot study, priority journal, procedures, psychotherapy, quality of life, randomized controlled trial, schizophrenia, Speech Perception, symptom, Therapy, therapy delay, therapy effect, treatment duration, treatment response, virtual reality, virtual reality exposure therapy},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Yuen, E. K.; Herbert, J. D.; Forman, E. M.; Goetter, E. M.; Juarascio, A. S.; Rabin, S.; Goodwin, C.; Bouchard, S.
Acceptance based behavior therapy for social anxiety disorder through videoconferencing Journal Article
In: Journal of Anxiety Disorders, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 389–397, 2013, ISSN: 18737897 (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: acceptance based behavior therapy, adult, agoraphobia, alcoholism, article, avoidance behavior, Beck Depression Inventory, behavior therapy, Behavioral Assessment Test, Brief Version of the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, clinical article, clinical trial, comorbidity, disability, effect size, Feasibility Studies, feasibility study, female, follow up, Follow-Up Studies, generalized anxiety disorder, human, Humans, interview, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, major depression, male, named inventories, panic, patient attitude, Patient Satisfaction, phobia, Phobic Disorders, Pilot Projects, pilot study, procedures, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, psychologic test, Psychological, psychological rating scale, psychotherapist attitude, quality of life, questionnaires and rating scales, Skype, social anxiety, social phobia, Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders, telehealth, Telemedicine, Telemental health, Telepsychology, treatment outcome, videoconferencing
@article{yuen_acceptance_2013,
title = {Acceptance based behavior therapy for social anxiety disorder through videoconferencing},
author = {E. K. Yuen and J. D. Herbert and E. M. Forman and E. M. Goetter and A. S. Juarascio and S. Rabin and C. Goodwin and S. Bouchard},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84879799248&doi=10.1016%2fj.janxdis.2013.03.002&partnerID=40&md5=a280b967176db691df32f37d15cb52a1},
doi = {10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.03.002},
issn = {18737897 (ISSN)},
year = {2013},
date = {2013-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Anxiety Disorders},
volume = {27},
number = {4},
pages = {389–397},
abstract = {Most individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) do not receive any type of treatment. Reasons include logistical barriers (e.g., geographic location, travel time), fear of stigmatization, and fear of the social interactions associated with seeking treatment. Videoconferencing technology holds great promise in the widespread delivery of evidence-based treatments to those who would otherwise not receive treatment. This pilot study assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of an acceptance-based behavioral intervention using Skype videoconferencing to treat adults with generalized SAD. Twenty-four participants received 12 sessions of weekly therapy and were assessed at pre-treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. Participants and therapists rated the intervention as acceptable and feasible. Analyses revealed significant pre-treatment to follow-up improvements in social anxiety, depression, disability, quality of life, and experiential avoidance, with effect sizes comparable to or larger than previously published results of studies delivering in-person CBT for SAD. Implications and future directions are discussed. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.},
keywords = {acceptance based behavior therapy, adult, agoraphobia, alcoholism, article, avoidance behavior, Beck Depression Inventory, behavior therapy, Behavioral Assessment Test, Brief Version of the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, clinical article, clinical trial, comorbidity, disability, effect size, Feasibility Studies, feasibility study, female, follow up, Follow-Up Studies, generalized anxiety disorder, human, Humans, interview, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, major depression, male, named inventories, panic, patient attitude, Patient Satisfaction, phobia, Phobic Disorders, Pilot Projects, pilot study, procedures, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, psychologic test, Psychological, psychological rating scale, psychotherapist attitude, quality of life, questionnaires and rating scales, Skype, social anxiety, social phobia, Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders, telehealth, Telemedicine, Telemental health, Telepsychology, treatment outcome, videoconferencing},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Girard, B.; Turcotte, V.; Bouchard, S.; Girard, B.
Crushing virtual cigarettes reduces tobacco addiction and treatment discontinuation Journal Article
In: Cyberpsychology and Behavior, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 477–483, 2009, ISSN: 10949313 (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Adolescent, adult, aged, analysis of variance, article, behavior therapy, cigarette smoking, Computer Simulation, Computer-Assisted, controlled study, female, game, human, Humans, Learning, major clinical study, male, Middle Aged, motivation, Patient Compliance, Pilot Projects, pilot study, psychosocial care, Self Concept, Smoking Cessation, Therapy, tobacco dependence, Tobacco Use Disorder, treatment outcome, treatment withdrawal, User-Computer Interface, virtual reality, Young Adult
@article{girard_crushing_2009,
title = {Crushing virtual cigarettes reduces tobacco addiction and treatment discontinuation},
author = {B. Girard and V. Turcotte and S. Bouchard and B. Girard},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-70350096404&doi=10.1089%2fcpb.2009.0118&partnerID=40&md5=e5ea20a75a7e0112cd9c98666d32d438},
doi = {10.1089/cpb.2009.0118},
issn = {10949313 (ISSN)},
year = {2009},
date = {2009-01-01},
journal = {Cyberpsychology and Behavior},
volume = {12},
number = {5},
pages = {477–483},
abstract = {Pilot studies revealed promising results regarding crushing virtual cigarettes to reduce tobacco addiction. In this study, 91 regular smokers were randomly assigned to two treatment conditions that differ only by the action performed in the virtual environment: crushing virtual cigarettes or grasping virtual balls. All participants also received minimal psychosocial support from nurses during each of 12 visits to the clinic. An affordable virtual reality system was used (eMagin HMD) with a virtual environment created by modifying a 3D game. Results revealed that crushing virtual cigarettes during 4 weekly sessions led to a statistically significant reduction in nicotine addiction (assessed with the Fagerström test), abstinence rate (confirmed with exhaled carbon monoxide), and drop-out rate from the 12-week psychosocial minimal-support treatment program. Increased retention in the program is discussed as a potential explanation for treatment success, and hypotheses are raised about self-efficacy, motivation, and learning. © Copyright 2009, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2009.},
keywords = {Adolescent, adult, aged, analysis of variance, article, behavior therapy, cigarette smoking, Computer Simulation, Computer-Assisted, controlled study, female, game, human, Humans, Learning, major clinical study, male, Middle Aged, motivation, Patient Compliance, Pilot Projects, pilot study, psychosocial care, Self Concept, Smoking Cessation, Therapy, tobacco dependence, Tobacco Use Disorder, treatment outcome, treatment withdrawal, User-Computer Interface, virtual reality, Young Adult},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Nolin, P.; Martin, C.; Bouchard, S.
Assessment of inhibition deficits with the virtual classroom in children with traumatic brain injury: A pilot-study Journal Article
In: Annual Review of CyberTherapy and Telemedicine, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 240–242, 2009, ISSN: 15548716 (ISSN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: article, attention deficit disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Brain, Brain Injuries, brain injury, Child, Children, clinical article, Computer aided instruction, Ecological character, human, Humans, inhibition (psychology), Inhibition deficit, Life experiences, neuropsychological test, Neuropsychological Tests, Performance tests, Pilot Projects, Pilot studies, pilot study, reaction time, school, Traumatic Brain Injuries, traumatic brain injury, Virtual Classroom, virtual reality
@article{nolin_assessment_2009,
title = {Assessment of inhibition deficits with the virtual classroom in children with traumatic brain injury: A pilot-study},
author = {P. Nolin and C. Martin and S. Bouchard},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-71749121874&partnerID=40&md5=e13dc1c0941767a5d373bb1f8177b2c6},
issn = {15548716 (ISSN)},
year = {2009},
date = {2009-01-01},
journal = {Annual Review of CyberTherapy and Telemedicine},
volume = {7},
number = {1},
pages = {240–242},
abstract = {This study compared the performance of 8 children who have sustained a traumatic brain injury on the traditional VIGIL Continuous Performance Testand the Continuous Performance Test included in the Virtual Classroom. Results supported the hypothesis, showing that the Continuous Performance Test from the Virtual Classroom showed more sensitivity concerning inhibition deficits. More precisely, children showed more commission errors and longer reaction time. These results can be explained by the ecological character of the Virtual Classroom, meaning that this instrument is close to real-life experiences and requires more attention and inhibition resources.},
keywords = {article, attention deficit disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Brain, Brain Injuries, brain injury, Child, Children, clinical article, Computer aided instruction, Ecological character, human, Humans, inhibition (psychology), Inhibition deficit, Life experiences, neuropsychological test, Neuropsychological Tests, Performance tests, Pilot Projects, Pilot studies, pilot study, reaction time, school, Traumatic Brain Injuries, traumatic brain injury, Virtual Classroom, virtual reality},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Renaud, P.; Rouleau, J. L.; Granger, L.; Barsetti, I.; Bouchard, S.
Measuring sexual preferences in virtual reality: A pilot study Journal Article
In: Cyberpsychology and Behavior, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1–9, 2002, ISSN: 10949313.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: adult, Affect, article, Choice Behavior, female, human, human experiment, Humans, male, man machine interaction, measurement, methodology, model, normal human, Photic Stimulation, Pilot Projects, psychology, Questionnaires, Random Allocation, Self Assessment (Psychology), sex, Sexual Behavior, theory, User-Computer Interface, virtual reality
@article{renaud_measuring_2002,
title = {Measuring sexual preferences in virtual reality: A pilot study},
author = {P. Renaud and J. L. Rouleau and L. Granger and I. Barsetti and S. Bouchard},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0036202234&doi=10.1089%2f109493102753685836&partnerID=40&md5=eb45bc643c9d8474aaf3d3bcc5459a82},
doi = {10.1089/109493102753685836},
issn = {10949313},
year = {2002},
date = {2002-01-01},
journal = {Cyberpsychology and Behavior},
volume = {5},
number = {1},
pages = {1–9},
abstract = {Virtual reality (VR) as a method to assess sexual preferences is explored. Dynamics of the subjective point of view (POV) subjective affective state and feeling of presence as measured following the interaction with a virtual naked model appear as promising ways to probe sexual preferences as expressed in immersion. Theoretical aspects of VR psychology and further steps in developing a sexual preferences assessment method are delineated.},
keywords = {adult, Affect, article, Choice Behavior, female, human, human experiment, Humans, male, man machine interaction, measurement, methodology, model, normal human, Photic Stimulation, Pilot Projects, psychology, Questionnaires, Random Allocation, Self Assessment (Psychology), sex, Sexual Behavior, theory, User-Computer Interface, virtual reality},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}



