Increasing Sociability in a Virtual World: A Serious Game for Social Anxiety Disorder

In the United States, social anxiety disorder is one of the most prevalent health challenges with psychological symptoms that impact multiple areas of life; however, one of the barriers to seeking treatment is the phobia itself. Therefore, one possible solution to this issue is to make exposure therapy more attractive and accessible. This paper explores the viability of gamification of treatment solutions through a serious game that affords users to access social exposure therapy to improve the at-home exercise and relapse prevention experience. We aim to simulate real-life interactions during a time when many individuals are socially isolated due to the global COVID-19 pandemic through a safe platform for gamified public speaking. Thus, we present a game designed towards assisting the reduction of the pervasiveness in social anxiety.