SAFE: Social Anxiety Focused Exposure

Background

Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) affects approximately 7% of the population and significantly impairs performance in job interview situations, where individuals must present themselves to unfamiliar evaluators. AI technologies may help reduce accessibility barriers to traditional therapy, particularly given the shortage of mental health professionals [1]. Research indicates that individuals with social anxiety often avoid seeking help even from close contacts, showing preference for anonymous digital solutions [6].

Literature Review

A systematic literature analysis (n=13 sources) revealed that AI and virtual reality applications for mental health interventions constitute an actively researched field. AI research evolution shows increasing attention to explainable AI and user trust [4]. When developing AI systems for social welfare, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity for all user groups is essential [5]. However, challenges include defining system classification (medical device vs. wellness tool) and ensuring data protection compliance [2].

A meta-analysis of virtual reality exposure therapy (k=14, n=397) found a medium effect size (Hedges' g = 0.64) for social anxiety symptom reduction [9]. AI-based chatbots integrating CBT principles demonstrated statistically significant efficacy for mild to moderate anxiety symptoms, though severe cases require human therapist supervision [10], [7]. Chatbot reviews identified key success factors: clear therapeutic foundation, user involvement in development, and continuous content updates [11].

Studies show that individualized, adaptive simulations demonstrate greater efficacy than static scenarios [3]. Virtual reality job interview simulation research found that participants practicing in virtual environments showed reduced nervousness in actual interviews, with gradual difficulty progression being essential for effective outcomes [12]. Recent research on AI-enhanced simulations demonstrated that integrating generative AI into VR environments enables more realistic and adaptive scenarios [13]. Photorealistic AI-driven digital faces increase engagement and exercise efficacy, while physiological indicator integration allows system adaptation to user state [8].

Research Object

This project investigates the SAFE (Social Anxiety Focused Exposure) system—an experimental job interview simulation based on AI technologies. The system comprises three components: (1) generative AI for question generation based on user CVs, (2) AI-driven digital face for voice interaction, (3) planned virtual reality environment for exposure exercises. Market analysis of existing solutions revealed that CV individualization and dynamic question generation are not widely integrated into current systems.

Preliminary Findings

A needs assessment survey (n=25) showed that 100% of respondents reported experiencing anxiety before job interviews, with 50% indicating they had missed at least one interview due to anxiety. A pilot study (n=10) recorded anxiety level changes after SAFE sessions: mean reduction of -2.0 points (SD=0.82) on a 10-point scale. These preliminary results require confirmation through a randomized controlled trial with a larger sample.

Conclusions

Literature analysis and preliminary empirical data suggest that AI and VR technology integration for job interview simulation may be a suitable research direction for social anxiety interventions. Further research requires clinical validation, control group inclusion, and long-term impact assessment.