Which therapy uses computer-generated or electronic simulations to help people confront fears in a safe setting?

• A. Aversive conditioning
• B. Token economy
• C. Virtual reality exposure therapy
• D. Family therapy

Answer: (C)

Using computer-generated or electronic simulations to help people confront fears in a safe setting is virtual reality exposure therapy. This approach is a form of exposure therapy that uses immersive, computer-created environments to recreate feared situations in a controlled, gradual way. The patient encounters the feared stimulus in a safe clinic, with the intensity adjustable to follow a fear hierarchy, which promotes habituation and extinction of the fear response without real-world risk. Its main advantage is the realistic yet safe practice it provides, allowing therapists to tailor scenarios, monitor progress, and repeat exposures as needed. The other therapies don’t fit this description: aversive conditioning pairs an unpleasant consequence with a behavior to deter it; a token economy uses reinforcement to modify behavior; family therapy addresses interactions within a family system rather than individual exposure to fear in simulated settings.