VIRTUAL REALITY EXPOSURE THERAPY UNTUK MENURUNKAN GEJALA FOBIA SPESIFIK PADA INDIVIDU DENGAN AILUROPHOBIA

Ailurophobia is an excessive, irrational and persistent fear of cats, despite the individual having an understanding or reassurance from others that there is no actual danger. This type of specific phobia can cause psychological symptoms and significant impairment in social life, work or other important areas. Indonesia has a population of over 250 million cats, making it highly likely that individuals with ailurophobia will inevitably encounter cats around them. This situation can exacerbate the phobia and potentially make it persistent. This study aims to evaluate virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) to reduce specific phobia symptoms in individuals with ailurophobia. The type of research used is systematic case studies, with 3 research subjects consisting of 1 male and 2 females, aged between 20-22 years, having a history of unpleasant direct experiences or delivery of negative information related to cats, experiencing symptoms of specific phobia of cats (ailurophobia) categorized as moderate to severe based on self-report (SMSP-A), and has lasted more than 6 months. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and self-reports (SMSP-A and SUDS). The results showed that virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) can reduce specific phobia symptoms in individuals with ailurophobia. During the intervention process, the research subjects experienced a reduction in the intensity of fear and avoidance behaviour towards cats, as well as a change in thinking to be more rational regarding cats. Self-report (SMSP-A) results showed a decrease in specific phobia symptom mean scores after the intervention.