A clinical trial of a New Zealand-developed smartphone app and virtual reality platform has shown it can help people with phobias and anxiety about heights, spiders, flying and dogs when paired with a virtual reality headset and cognitive behavioural therapy.

The trial, led by Cameron Lacey from the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago, studied phobia patients using a headset and app-based treatment technology from Christchurch-based oVRcome, which has also developed a program for children frightened of needles.