Make exposure practice repeatable, adjustable, and trackable across runs.
SESSION STUCTURE
Each session is intentionally bounded so users can train without feeling overwhelmed, and repeat runs back-to-back.
WHY A LOOP (NOT A “SIMULATION”)
Exposure training depends on a stable, repeatable rhythm rather than one-off realism.
When pressure is unstructured or feedback is diffuse, users struggle to form expectations, track progress, or attribute change to their own regulation strategies.
This system is designed as a loop to function as a scaffold:
the structure remains constant while intensity, timing, and stressors vary within it. Drawing on scaffolding theory, the loop provides a predictable framework that reduces cognitive load, allowing users to focus on regulation rather than situational uncertainty. As users adapt, the scaffold supports progressively higher levels of challenge without changing the underlying structure.
From a VRET (Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy) perspective, repeated exposure under controlled and comparable conditions is essential. The loop ensures that each run is meaningfully comparable to the last, so desensitization and habituation emerge from graded repetition, not from novelty or spectacle.
This design also aligns with principles from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), where change depends on the repeated pairing of stressors with adaptive responses and clear feedback. By keeping the loop stable, users can test expectations, observe patterns in their reactions, and build confidence through evidence of improvement across runs.
In short, the loop preserves rhythm and comparability, ensuring that improvement comes from training regulation skills—not from memorizing scenarios or adapting to one-off simulations.
ADJUSTABLE CONTROLS (EXAMPLES)
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Difficulty level (overall intensity)
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Stressor frequency and timing windows
- Scenario selection (type of social/environmental pressure)