Measuring Acrophobia in Military Personnel: Design and Assessment of a Novel Device

Abstract

Background: Exposure to heights is an essential aspect of military and athletic occupations, and the fear associated with such exposure, known as acrophobia, is a critical concern in these fields. Objectives: The present study aimed to measure acrophobia in military personnel through the design and assessment of a novel device. Methods: In this applied-developmental study, a device was developed, fabricated, and evaluated to quantify phobia rates, specifically acrophobia. The instrument was designed based on physiological signals of skin galvanic response (SGR) induced by the central nervous system (CNS) to minimize acrophobia. The device was tested on 16 individuals in a virtual reality environment, and the physiological signals of SGR recorded by the instrument were compared before and after exposure to heights. Results: Data analysis using a linear isolator or thresholding revealed that the classification accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for distinguishing between acrophobic and non-acrophobic individuals were 95%, 93%, and 98%, respectively. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate the high potential of this method. Based on the results, it is suggested that the rate of acrophobia can be quantitatively measured. Therefore, the device may be applicable in military and athletic activities.