title: Real enough: using virtual public speaking environments to evoke feelings and behaviors targeted in stuttering assessment and treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Virtual reality environments (VREs) are computer-generated, 3-dimensional worlds that allow users to experience situations similar to those encountered in the real world. The purpose of this study was to investigate VREs for potential use in assessing and treating persons who stutter (PWS) by determining the extent to which PWS's affective, behavioral, and cognitive measures in a VRE correlate with those same measures in a similar live environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten PWS delivered speeches-first to a live audience and, on another day, to 2 virtual audiences (neutral and challenging audiences). Participants completed standard tests of communication apprehension and confidence prior to each condition, and frequency of stuttering was measured during each speech.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlational analyses revealed significant, positive correlations between virtual and live conditions for affective and cognitive measures as well as for frequency of stuttering.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that virtual public speaking environments engender affective, behavioral, and cognitive reactions in PWS that correspond to those experienced in the real world. Therefore, the authentic, safe, and controlled environments provided by VREs may be useful for stuttering assessment and treatment.
authors.forename: Shelley B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Brundage
authors.forename: Adrienne B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hancock
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001143:Arousal; D004644:Emotions; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D013060:Speech; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013342:Stuttering / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D063367:Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy