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Bohmeier B, Cybinski LM, Gromer D, Bellinger D, Deckert J, Erhardt-Lehmann A, Deserno L, Mühlberger A, Pauli P, Polak T, Herrmann MJ. Intermittent theta burst stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex has no additional effect on the efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy for acrophobia. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. Behav Brain Res 2024; 476:115232. [PMID: 39236930 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental disorders. Treatment guidelines recommend pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy as standard treatment. Although cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective therapeutic approach, not all patients benefit sufficiently from it. In recent years, non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, have been investigated as promising adjuncts in the treatment of affective disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate whether a combination of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) and virtual reality exposure therapy leads to a significantly greater reduction in acrophobia than virtual reality exposure with sham stimulation. In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study, 43 participants with acrophobia received verum or sham iTBS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex prior to two sessions of virtual reality exposure therapy. Stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with iTBS was motivated by an experimental study showing a positive effect on extinction memory retention. Acrophobic symptoms were assessed using questionnaires and two behavioral approach tasks one week before, after treatment and six months after the second diagnostic session. The results showed that two sessions of virtual reality exposure therapy led to a significant reduction in acrophobic symptoms, with an overall remission rate of 79 %. However, there was no additional effect of iTBS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on the therapeutic effects. Further research is needed to determine how exactly a combination of transcranial magnetic stimulation and exposure therapy should be designed to enhance efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Bohmeier
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Lisa M Cybinski
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Gromer
- Department of Psychology (Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy), University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Bellinger
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Deckert
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Angelika Erhardt-Lehmann
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany; Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Lorenz Deserno
- Center of Mental Health, Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Mühlberger
- Department of Psychology (Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy), University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Paul Pauli
- Department of Psychology (Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy), University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Polak
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Martin J Herrmann
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.
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Zheng Q, Feng Y, Li J, Xu S, Ma Z, Wang Y. Distinct characteristics of social anxiety among youths with childhood sexual abuse: A latent profile analysis. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2024; 155:106967. [PMID: 39173507 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is one type of childhood trauma that has long-term effects on physical and mental health, predisposing to social anxiety. OBJECTIVE This study attempted to investigate the characteristics of different subgroups of social anxiety among youths with CSA experiences. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING 83,219 participants were recruited in a cross-sectional study from 63 colleges and universities in Jilin Province, China. METHODS The main variables were measured by a series of self-report questionnaires. Latent profile analysis was used to classify different subgroups of social anxiety, and multiple logistic regression was employed to investigate factors influencing transitions between different subgroups. RESULTS 3022 (3.63 %) youths who suffered from CSA (46.8 % were male, Mage = 19.57, SD = 1.76) could be divided into four subgroups of social anxiety: low-risk social anxiety (16.4 %), medium-risk social anxiety with high public speaking anxiety (30.3 %), medium-risk social anxiety with no prominent characteristics (22.9 %), and high-risk social anxiety (30.4 %). Shy bladder and bowel and virtual life orientation increased the level of social anxiety from low to medium and high risk. Smoking and drinking were more prevalent in the low- and medium-risk subgroups than in the high-risk subgroup. CONCLUSIONS There was heterogeneity in different subgroups of social anxiety among youths with CSA experiences. Potential targeted prevention and intervention suggestions could be beneficial in mitigating the risk of social anxiety and further preventing the aggravation of risk between subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoqing Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; and School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Feng
- Mental Health Center, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaqi Li
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; and School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shicun Xu
- Northeast Asian Research Center, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhihao Ma
- Computational Communication Collaboratory, School of Journalism and Communication, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; and School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
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Tan YL, Chang VYX, Ang WHD, Ang WW, Lau Y. Virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis and meta-regression of randomized controlled trials. ANXIETY, STRESS, AND COPING 2024:1-20. [PMID: 39161295 DOI: 10.1080/10615806.2024.2392195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Virtual reality exposure therapy offers a unique opportunity to treat social anxiety disorder. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy compared to waitlist comparators or other interventions for individuals with social anxiety disorder in alleviating anxiety symptoms. METHODS A three-step comprehensive search for the randomized controlled trials of virtual reality exposure therapy was conducted from inception to 7 December 2023. The overall effect was measured using Hedges' g and determined using t-statistics at a significance level of p < 0.05. Sensitivity, subgroup, and meta-regression analyses were carried out. RESULTS A total of 17 randomized control trials were retrieved from nine electronic databases. Virtual reality exposure therapy has greater efficacy than waitlist comparators in reducing anxiety symptoms at post-intervention and follow-up assessment. Virtual reality exposure therapy demonstrates a similar effect to other interventions at post-intervention and follow-up assessment. We observed a greater effect for participants with symptomatic social anxiety when we combined the intervention with cognitive behavioral therapy compared to its counterpart. Meta-regression analyses found no significant covariate. CONCLUSIONS Overall, virtual reality exposure therapy can provide supplementary therapy for improving anxiety symptoms. Additional high-quality and large-scale trials with long-term follow-up are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ling Tan
- Nursing Department, Raffles Hospital, Singapore
| | | | - Wei How Darryl Ang
- Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wen Wei Ang
- Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ying Lau
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Regions of China
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Miegel F, Lohse L, Jelinek L, Scheunemann J, Gabbert T, Schauenburg G, Bittner L, Mostajeran F, Kühn S, Gallinat J, Yassari A. Digital nature: Unveiling the impact and safety of FlowVR group intervention for depression in a feasibility trial. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2024. [PMID: 39049561 DOI: 10.1111/acps.13731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study addresses the limitations of existing interventions for depression, such as a deficit-oriented focus, overlooking the utilization of positive elements such as nature, and neglecting the incorporation of group effects. The present feasibility study examines FlowVR, a resource-oriented, nature-inspired virtual reality (VR)-based group therapy. Previously tested individually in a pilot study for non-clinical participants, FlowVR has demonstrated positive effects on depressive symptoms. This study assesses the impact and safety of FlowVR in a group setting within a clinical sample using a one-armed study design. METHOD Forty-two inpatients and day patients with depression were recruited. Before and after the FlowVR intervention period of 4 weeks (two sessions per week), depressive symptoms were assessed (Beck Depression Inventory-II; BDI). Symptomatology (i.e., depressive symptoms), depression-associated variables (i.e., self-efficacy), intervention-specific variables (feeling of flow), and VR-specific variables (simulator sickness) were assessed before and after each session. RESULTS Linear mixed effect models showed that symptomatology (depression, negative affect, current anxiety), depression-associated constructs (self-efficacy, motivation), and intervention-specific variables (flow) improved over the course of the sessions. No variable deteriorated more in one session compared to any other session. The lasso regression identified five potential predictors for the change in depression (BDI-II), yet these could not be validated in a subsequent linear regression analysis. CONCLUSION To conclude, FlowVR had the hypothesized positive impact over the course of the sessions, showing, for example, improvements in symptomatology. The sessions have demonstrated safety with no notable deteriorations. Therefore, FlowVR is deemed safe for clinical patients and group settings. However, further research is needed to explore predictors for the change in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Miegel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Luzie Lohse
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lena Jelinek
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jakob Scheunemann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tana Gabbert
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gesche Schauenburg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lukas Bittner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Human-Computer Interaction Group, Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Fariba Mostajeran
- Human-Computer Interaction Group, Department of Informatics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simone Kühn
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Center for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Gallinat
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Amir Yassari
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Ferraioli F, Culicetto L, Cecchetti L, Falzone A, Tomaiuolo F, Quartarone A, Vicario CM. Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Treating Fear of Contamination Disorders: A Systematic Review of Healthy and Clinical Populations. Brain Sci 2024; 14:510. [PMID: 38790488 PMCID: PMC11118862 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14050510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET), particularly immersive Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (iVRET), has gained attraction as an innovative approach in exposure therapy (ET), notably for some anxiety disorders with a fear of contamination component, such as spider phobia (SP) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This systematic work investigates iVRET's effectiveness in modulating disgust emotion-a shared aberrant feature across these disorders. Recent reviews have evaluated VRET's efficacy against in vivo ET. However, emerging evidence also highlights iVRET's potential in diminishing atypical disgust and related avoidance behaviors, expanding beyond traditional fear-focused outcomes. Our systematic synthesis, adhering to PRISMA guidelines, aims to fill this gap by assessing iVRET's efficacy in regulating disgust emotion within both clinical and at-risk populations, identified through standardized questionnaires and subjective disgust ratings. This research analyzes data from eight studies on clinical populations and five on healthy populations, offering an insight into iVRET's potential to mitigate the aberrant disgust response, a common transdiagnostic feature in varied psychopathologies. The findings support iVRET's clinical relevance in disgust management, providing evidence for a broader therapeutic application of iVRET and pointing out the need for more focused and complete investigations in this emergent field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Ferraioli
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy; (L.C.); (A.F.)
| | - Laura Culicetto
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy; (L.C.); (A.F.)
| | - Luca Cecchetti
- IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, 55100 Lucca, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Falzone
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy; (L.C.); (A.F.)
| | - Francesco Tomaiuolo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy;
| | - Angelo Quartarone
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, 98124 Messina, Italy;
| | - Carmelo Mario Vicario
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy; (L.C.); (A.F.)
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McDonald MA, Meckes SJ, Shires J, Berryhill ME, Lancaster CL. Augmenting Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Social and Intergroup Anxiety With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation. J ECT 2024; 40:51-60. [PMID: 38009966 PMCID: PMC10920400 DOI: 10.1097/yct.0000000000000967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of social anxiety treatment, yet not all patients respond. Symptoms in certain social situations, including intergroup (ie, out-group) contexts, may be particularly resistant to treatment. Exposure therapy outcomes may be improved by stimulating neural areas associated with safety learning, such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The mPFC also plays an important role in identifying others as similar to oneself. We hypothesized that targeting the mPFC during exposure therapy would reduce intergroup anxiety and social anxiety. METHODS Participants (N = 31) with the public speaking subtype of social anxiety received active (anodal) or sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting the mPFC during exposure therapy. Exposure therapy consisted of giving speeches to audiences in virtual reality. To target intergroup anxiety, half of the public speaking exposure trials were conducted with out-group audiences, defined in this study as audiences of a different ethnicity. RESULTS Contrary to hypotheses, tDCS did not facilitate symptom reduction. Some evidence even suggested that tDCS temporarily increased in-group favoritism, although these effects dissipated at 1-month follow-up. In addition, collapsing across all participants, we found reductions across time for public speaking anxiety and intergroup anxiety. CONCLUSIONS The data provide evidence that standard exposure therapy techniques for social anxiety can be adapted to target intergroup anxiety. Transcranial direct current stimulation targeting the mPFC may boost safety signaling, but only in contexts previously conditioned to signal safety, such as an in-group context.
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7
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Shahid S, Kelson J, Saliba A. Effectiveness and User Experience of Virtual Reality for Social Anxiety Disorder: Systematic Review. JMIR Ment Health 2024; 11:e48916. [PMID: 38329804 PMCID: PMC10884902 DOI: 10.2196/48916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder that affects occupational and social functioning. Virtual reality (VR) therapies can provide effective treatment for people with SAD. However, with rapid innovations in immersive VR technology, more contemporary research is required to examine the effectiveness and concomitant user experience outcomes (ie, safety, usability, acceptability, and attrition) of emerging VR interventions for SAD. OBJECTIVE The aim of this systematic review was to examine the effectiveness and user experience of contemporary VR interventions among people with SAD. METHODS The Cochrane Library, Emcare, PsycINFO, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched between January 1, 2012, and April 26, 2022. Deduplicated search results were screened based on title and abstract information. Full-text examination was conducted on 71 articles. Studies of all designs and comparator groups were included if they appraised the effectiveness and user experience outcomes of any immersive VR intervention among people with SAD. A standardized coding sheet was used to extract data on key participant, intervention, comparator, outcome, and study design items. RESULTS The findings were tabulated and discussed using a narrative synthesis. A total of 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. CONCLUSIONS The findings showed that VR exposure therapy-based interventions can generally provide effective, safe, usable, and acceptable treatments for adults with SAD. The average attrition rate from VR treatment was low (11.36%) despite some reported user experience difficulties, including potential simulator sickness, exposure-based emotional distress, and problems with managing treatment delivered in a synchronous group setting. This review also revealed several research gaps, including a lack of VR treatment studies on children and adolescents with SAD as well as a paucity of standardized assessments of VR user experience interactions. More studies are required to address these issues. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42022353891; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=353891.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Shahid
- Faculty of Business, Justice, and Behavioural Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, Australia
| | - Joshua Kelson
- Faculty of Business, Justice, and Behavioural Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, Australia
| | - Anthony Saliba
- Faculty of Business, Justice, and Behavioural Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, Australia
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Daling LM, Schlittmeier SJ. Effects of Augmented Reality-, Virtual Reality-, and Mixed Reality-Based Training on Objective Performance Measures and Subjective Evaluations in Manual Assembly Tasks: A Scoping Review. HUMAN FACTORS 2024; 66:589-626. [PMID: 35635107 PMCID: PMC10757401 DOI: 10.1177/00187208221105135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present scoping review aims to transform the diverse field of research on the effects of mixed reality-based training on performance in manual assembly tasks into comprehensive statements about industrial needs for and effects of mixed reality-based training. BACKGROUND Technologies such as augmented and virtual reality, referred to as mixed reality, are seen as promising media for training manual assembly tasks. Nevertheless, current literature shows partly contradictory results, which is due to the diversity of the hardware used, manual assembly tasks as well as methodological approaches to investigate the effects of mixed reality-based training. METHOD Following the methodological approach of a scoping review, we selected 24 articles according to predefined criteria and analyzed them concerning five key aspects: (1) the needs in the industry for mixed reality-based training, (2) the actual use and classification of mixed reality technologies, (3) defined measures for evaluating the outcomes of mixed reality-based training, (4) findings on objectively measured performance and subjective evaluations, as well as (5) identified research gaps. RESULTS Regarding the improvement of performance and effectiveness through mixed reality-based training, promising results were found particularly for augmented reality-based training, while virtual reality-based training is mostly-but not consistently-as good as traditional training. APPLICATION Mixed reality-based training is still not consistently better, but mostly at least as good as traditional training. However, depending on the use case and technology used, the training outcomes in terms of assembly performance and subjective evaluations show promising results of mixed reality-based training.
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Hernández C, Ferrada M, Ciarrochi J, Quevedo S, Garcés JA, Hansen R, Sahdra B. The cycle of solitude and avoidance: a daily life evaluation of the relationship between internet addiction and symptoms of social anxiety. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1337834. [PMID: 38318083 PMCID: PMC10839000 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1337834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
A consistent association has been observed between internet addiction and symptoms of social anxiety. However, there is a lack of empirical research that delves into potential explanations for this relationship and its directionality, making it difficult to translate findings into development of interventions for social anxiety that account for technology-related behaviors. The present study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal dynamics between internet addiction, symptoms of social anxiety, avoidance of social interactions, and using the internet to cope with loneliness. By means of an ecological momentary assessment study, we evaluated a sample of 122 young adults from Chile using intensive self-report measurements five times a day, for a period of 10 days. Using mixed-effects models, we examined the directionality between internet addiction and symptoms of social anxiety, together with an explanation of their relationship. Results indicate that internet addiction antecedes symptoms of social anxiety; however, the reverse relationship was not observed. Furthermore, instances where individuals avoided social interactions or used the internet to cope with loneliness were predictive of later increases in levels of internet addiction, suggesting a vicious cycle. Significant heterogeneity was observed in these effects, highlighting the need for a more personalized approach when including technology-related behaviors in social anxiety interventions. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristóbal Hernández
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio para la Investigación en Depresión y Personalidad, MIDAP, Santiago, Chile
| | - Martín Ferrada
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio para la Investigación en Depresión y Personalidad, MIDAP, Santiago, Chile
| | - Joseph Ciarrochi
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sergio Quevedo
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio para la Investigación en Depresión y Personalidad, MIDAP, Santiago, Chile
| | - José Antonio Garcés
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio para la Investigación en Depresión y Personalidad, MIDAP, Santiago, Chile
| | - Raimundo Hansen
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio para la Investigación en Depresión y Personalidad, MIDAP, Santiago, Chile
| | - Baljinder Sahdra
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Fitzke RE, Atieh T, Davis JP, Canning L, Tran DD, Buch K, Hummer JF, Pedersen ER. A latent profile analysis of social anxiety, depression, and pregaming motives among heavy-drinking college students. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 48:142-152. [PMID: 38184800 PMCID: PMC10783532 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregaming is a high-risk drinking behavior that is associated with heavy drinking and negative alcohol-related consequences. College students may engage in pregaming for several reasons, including to enhance social experiences or cope with negative affect. Research shows that associations between drinking, social anxiety, and depression are multifaceted. However, our understanding of the complex associations of mental health symptoms with pregaming motives and behaviors remains limited. METHODS This study examined heterogeneity in how pregaming motives, social anxiety, and depression associate with past 30-day pregaming variables (quantity, frequency, and negative consequences). We used latent profile analysis (LPA) in a sample of heavy-drinking university students (N = 479). RESULTS LPA results indicated four profiles: mild/moderate social anxiety and depression symptoms, moderate motives (n = 285), minimal social anxiety and depression symptoms, low motives (n = 61), subclinical/elevated social anxiety and depression symptoms, high motives (n = 75), and clinically elevated social anxiety and depression symptoms, moderate motives (n = 58). The subclinical/elevated symptoms, high motives profile reported the highest pregaming frequency and consequences, including blackouts. Individuals in the clinically elevated symptoms, moderate motives profile reported more consequences than those in the minimal symptoms, low motives and mild/moderate symptoms, moderate motives profiles. Individuals in the minimal symptoms, low motives profile reported the fewest consequences. CONCLUSIONS Among these students, social anxiety and pregaming motives were associated with more frequent pregaming and social anxiety and depression were associated with greater negative consequences. Interventions that target pregaming-specific motives among students with mental health symptoms may be warranted to reduce this risky behavior and associated drinking-related harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reagan E. Fitzke
- Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | | | - Jordan P. Davis
- Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California
| | - Liv Canning
- Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California
| | - Denise D. Tran
- Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Keegan Buch
- Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | | | - Eric R. Pedersen
- Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
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Schröder D, Wrona KJ, Müller F, Heinemann S, Fischer F, Dockweiler C. Impact of virtual reality applications in the treatment of anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2023; 81:101893. [PMID: 37453405 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2023.101893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide. Virtual reality (VR) treatment approaches have increasingly been studied. Before clinical implementation, it is necessary to evaluate the treatment effect of VR applications. The objective is to evaluate the treatment effect of virtual reality applications in the treatment of anxiety disorders compared to conventional therapy. METHODS A systematic literature review with meta-analysis was conducted. Four databases were used to identify randomized controlled trials published between April 2011 and April 2021 which compare VR applications with non-VR interventions or waiting lists. Study characteristics, pre- and post-treatment data were extracted. Hedges g was calculated as effect size. Primary outcome was anxiety symptoms. RESULTS Data from 17 studies from 827 participants was extracted. The studies examined specific phobia (n = 9), social anxiety disorder (n = 4), agoraphobia (n = 2) and panic disorder (n = 2). 16 out of 17 studies used head-mounted displays as VR application. A non-significant effect size with significant heterogeneity was observed in favor of the use of VR applications in anxiety symptoms (g, 0.33; 95%-CI, -0.20-0.87). Compared to passive control groups, VR applications are associated significant with lower anxiety symptoms (g, 1.29; 95%-CI, 0.68-1.90). LIMITATIONS The study and patient characteristics varied between the individual studies which is reflected in a high statistical heterogeneity of the effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS The added value of VR applications over waiting-list or psychoeducation only control groups is obvious. VR applications can be used as part of the treatment of anxiety disorders, especially when conventional therapy is unavailable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Schröder
- Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Kamil J Wrona
- Hochschule Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Frank Müller
- Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
| | - Stephanie Heinemann
- Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Department of Geriatrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Florian Fischer
- Institute of Public Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Bavarian Research Center for Digital Health and Social Care, Kempten University, Kempten, Germany
| | - Christoph Dockweiler
- Department Digital Biomedicine and Health Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University Siegen, Siegen, Germany; School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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12
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Wray TB, Kemp JJ, Adams Larsen M. Virtual reality (VR) treatments for anxiety disorders are unambiguously successful, so why are so few therapists using it? Barriers to adoption and potential solutions. Cogn Behav Ther 2023; 52:603-624. [PMID: 37376984 PMCID: PMC10592498 DOI: 10.1080/16506073.2023.2229017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are a significant cause of disability globally, yet only one in ten sufferers receives adequate quality treatment. Exposure-based therapies are effective in reducing symptoms associated with a number of anxiety disorders. However, few therapists use exposure techniques to treat these conditions, even when they are adequately trained in them, often because of concerns about provoking distress, drop out, logistical barriers, and other concerns. Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) can address many of these concerns, and a large body of research decisively shows that VRET is as efficacious for treating these conditions as in vivo exposures. Yet, use of VRET remains low. In this article, we discuss several factors we believe are contributing to low VRET adoption among therapists and raise potential solutions to address them. We consider steps that VR experience developers and researchers might take, such as leading studies of VRET's real-world effectiveness and treatment optimization trials and continuing to improve the fit of platforms with clinicians' workflows. We also discuss steps to address therapist reservations using aligned implementation strategies, as well as barriers for clinics, and the roles that professional organizations and payers could have in improving care by encouraging adoption of VRET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler B. Wray
- Center for Alcohol and Addictions Studies, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
| | - Joshua J. Kemp
- Pediatric Anxiety Research Center, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
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13
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Levy AN, Nittas V, Wray TB. Patient Perceptions of In Vivo Versus Virtual Reality Exposures for the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders: Cross-Sectional Survey Study. JMIR Form Res 2023; 7:e47443. [PMID: 37843884 PMCID: PMC10616729 DOI: 10.2196/47443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychotherapy, and particularly exposure therapy, has been proven to be an effective treatment for many anxiety disorders, including social and specific phobias, as well as posttraumatic stress disorders. Currently, exposures are underused and mostly delivered in vivo. Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) offers a more flexible delivery mechanism that has the potential to address some of the implementation barriers of in vivo exposures while retaining effectiveness. Yet, there is little evidence on how patients perceive different exposure therapy methods. OBJECTIVE This study aims to explore the perceptions of individuals with anxiety disorders toward in vivo and VRET. Our findings can inform therapists about the degree of patient interest in both methods while exploring the demand for VRET as an alternative and novel treatment approach. METHODS Web-based survey assessing the (1) interest in, (2) willingness to use, (3) comfort with, (4) enthusiasm toward, and (5) perceived effectiveness of exposure therapy when delivered in vivo and through VR. Participants included individuals with specific phobia, social phobia, posttraumatic stress disorder, or acute stress disorder or reaction. Participants were presented with educational videos about in vivo and VRET and asked to provide their perceptions quantitatively and qualitatively through a rated scale and free-text responses. RESULTS In total, 184 surveys were completed and analyzed, in which 82% (n=151) of participants reported being willing to receive in vivo exposures and 90.2% (n=166) reported willingness to receive VRET. Participants reported higher interest in, comfort with, enthusiasm toward, and perceived effectiveness of VRET compared to in vivo. Most reported in vivo concerns were linked to (1) increased anxiety, (2) feelings of embarrassment or shame, and (3) exacerbation of current condition. Most reported VRET concerns were linked to (1) risk of side effects including increased anxiety, (2) efficacy uncertainty, and (3) health insurance coverage. The most frequently mentioned VRET benefits include (1) privacy, (2) safety, (3) the ability to control exposures, (4) comfort, (5) the absence of real-life consequences, (6) effectiveness, and (7) customizability to a wider variety of exposures. CONCLUSIONS On average, our participants expressed positive perceptions toward exposure therapy, with slightly more positive perceptions of VRET over in vivo exposures. Despite valid personal concerns and some misconceptions, our findings emphasize that VRET provides an opportunity to get much-needed therapy to patients in ways that are more acceptable and less concerning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda N Levy
- Department of Computer Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Vasileios Nittas
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Tyler B Wray
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
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14
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Au-Yeung C, Bowie CR, Montreuil T, Baer LH, Lecomte T, Joober R, Abdel-Baki A, Jarvis GE, Margolese HC, De Benedictis L, Schmitz N, Thai H, Malla AK, Lepage M. Predictors of treatment attrition of cognitive health interventions in first episode psychosis. Early Interv Psychiatry 2023; 17:984-991. [PMID: 36653167 DOI: 10.1111/eip.13391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
AIM Dropping out of psychological interventions is estimated to occur in up to a third of individuals with psychosis. Given the high degree of attrition in this population, identifying predictors of attrition is important to develop strategies to retain individuals in treatment. We observed a particularly high degree of attrition (48%) in a recent randomized controlled study assessing cognitive health interventions for first-episode psychosis participants with comorbid social anxiety. Due to the importance of developing interventions for social anxiety in first episode psychosis, the aim of the present study was to identify putative predictors of attrition through a secondary analysis of data. METHODS Participants (n = 96) with first episode psychosis and comorbid social anxiety were randomized to receive cognitive behavioural therapy for social anxiety or cognitive remediation. Differences between completers and non-completers (<50% intervention completed) were compared using t-tests or chi-square analyses; statistically significant variables were entered into a multivariate logistic regression model. RESULTS Non-completers tended to be younger, had fewer years of education and had lower levels of social anxiety compared to completers. Lower baseline social anxiety and younger age were statistically significant predictors of non-completion in the logistic regression model. CONCLUSIONS Age and social anxiety were predictors of attrition in cognitive health interventions in first episode psychosis populations with comorbid social anxiety. In the ongoing development of social anxiety interventions for this population, future studies should investigate specific engagement strategies, intervention formats and outcome monitoring to improve participant retention in treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy Au-Yeung
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christopher R Bowie
- Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tina Montreuil
- Departments of Educational & Counselling Psychology and Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Child Health and Human Development, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Larry H Baer
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Tania Lecomte
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ridha Joober
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Amal Abdel-Baki
- Clinique JAP-Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal CRCHUM, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Département de psychiatrie et d'addictologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - G Eric Jarvis
- First Episode Psychosis Program, Jewish General Hospital, and Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Howard C Margolese
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Luigi De Benedictis
- Département de psychiatrie et d'addictologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Connec-T Clinic (First Psychotic Episode and Early Intervention Program), Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Norbert Schmitz
- Department of Population-Based Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Helen Thai
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ashok K Malla
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Martin Lepage
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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15
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Bellinger D, Wehrmann K, Rohde A, Schuppert M, Störk S, Flohr-Jost M, Gall D, Pauli P, Deckert J, Herrmann MJ, Erhardt-Lehmann A. The application of virtual reality exposure versus relaxation training in music performance anxiety: a randomized controlled study. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:555. [PMID: 37528410 PMCID: PMC10394851 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-05040-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Performance anxiety is the most frequently reported anxiety disorder among professional musicians. Typical symptoms are - on a physical level - the consequences of an increase in sympathetic tone with cardiac stress, such as acceleration of heartbeat, increase in blood pressure, increased respiratory rate and tremor up to nausea or flush reactions. These symptoms can cause emotional distress, a reduced musical and artistical performance up to an impaired functioning. While anxiety disorders are preferably treated using cognitive-behavioral therapy with exposure, this approach is rather difficult for treating music performance anxiety since the presence of a public or professional jury is required and not easily available. The use of virtual reality (VR) could therefore display an alternative. So far, no therapy studies on music performance anxiety applying virtual reality exposure therapy have investigated the therapy outcome including cardiovascular changes as outcome parameters. METHODS This mono-center, prospective, randomized and controlled clinical trial has a pre-post design with a follow-up period of 6 months. 46 professional and semi-professional musicians will be recruited and allocated randomly to an VR exposure group or a control group receiving progressive muscle relaxation training. Both groups will be treated over 4 single sessions. Music performance anxiety will be diagnosed based on a clinical interview using ICD-10 and DSM-5 criteria for specific phobia or social anxiety. A behavioral assessment test is conducted three times (pre, post, follow-up) in VR through an audition in a concert hall. Primary outcomes are the changes in music performance anxiety measured by the German Bühnenangstfragebogen and the cardiovascular reactivity reflected by heart rate variability (HRV). Secondary outcomes are changes in blood pressure, stress parameters such as cortisol in the blood and saliva, neuropeptides, and DNA-methylation. DISCUSSION The trial investigates the effect of VR exposure in musicians with performance anxiety compared to a relaxation technique on anxiety symptoms and corresponding cardiovascular parameters. We expect a reduction of anxiety but also a consecutive improvement of HRV with cardiovascular protective effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION This study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov. (ClinicalTrials.gov Number: NCT05735860).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bellinger
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center for Mental Health, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Kristin Wehrmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center for Mental Health, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anna Rohde
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center for Mental Health, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Störk
- Department Clinical Research & Epidemiology, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Würzburg, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Flohr-Jost
- Department of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy), Center for Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Dominik Gall
- Department of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy), Center for Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Paul Pauli
- Department of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy), Center for Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Deckert
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center for Mental Health, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Martin J Herrmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center for Mental Health, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Angelika Erhardt-Lehmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Center for Mental Health, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
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Rahman MA, Brown DJ, Mahmud M, Harris M, Shopland N, Heym N, Sumich A, Turabee ZB, Standen B, Downes D, Xing Y, Thomas C, Haddick S, Premkumar P, Nastase S, Burton A, Lewis J. Enhancing biofeedback-driven self-guided virtual reality exposure therapy through arousal detection from multimodal data using machine learning. Brain Inform 2023; 10:14. [PMID: 37341863 DOI: 10.1186/s40708-023-00193-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) is a novel intervention technique that allows individuals to experience anxiety-evoking stimuli in a safe environment, recognise specific triggers and gradually increase their exposure to perceived threats. Public-speaking anxiety (PSA) is a prevalent form of social anxiety, characterised by stressful arousal and anxiety generated when presenting to an audience. In self-guided VRET, participants can gradually increase their tolerance to exposure and reduce anxiety-induced arousal and PSA over time. However, creating such a VR environment and determining physiological indices of anxiety-induced arousal or distress is an open challenge. Environment modelling, character creation and animation, psychological state determination and the use of machine learning (ML) models for anxiety or stress detection are equally important, and multi-disciplinary expertise is required. In this work, we have explored a series of ML models with publicly available data sets (using electroencephalogram and heart rate variability) to predict arousal states. If we can detect anxiety-induced arousal, we can trigger calming activities to allow individuals to cope with and overcome distress. Here, we discuss the means of effective selection of ML models and parameters in arousal detection. We propose a pipeline to overcome the model selection problem with different parameter settings in the context of virtual reality exposure therapy. This pipeline can be extended to other domains of interest where arousal detection is crucial. Finally, we have implemented a biofeedback framework for VRET where we successfully provided feedback as a form of heart rate and brain laterality index from our acquired multimodal data for psychological intervention to overcome anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Arifur Rahman
- Department of Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK
| | - David J Brown
- Department of Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK
| | - Mufti Mahmud
- Department of Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK.
- Medical Technologies Innovation Facility, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK.
- Computing and Informatics Research Centre, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK.
| | - Matthew Harris
- Department of Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK
| | - Nicholas Shopland
- Department of Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK
| | - Nadja Heym
- School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Shakespeare St, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, UK
| | - Alexander Sumich
- School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Shakespeare St, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, UK
| | - Zakia Batool Turabee
- School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Shakespeare St, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, UK
| | - Bradley Standen
- Department of Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK
| | - David Downes
- Nottingham School of Art & Design, Nottingham Trent University, Shakespeare St, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, UK
| | - Yangang Xing
- School of ADBE, Nottingham Trent University, Shakespeare St, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, UK
| | - Carolyn Thomas
- Nottingham School of Art & Design, Nottingham Trent University, Shakespeare St, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, UK
| | - Sean Haddick
- Department of Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK
| | - Preethi Premkumar
- Division of Psychology, London South Bank University, London, SE1 0AA, UK
| | | | - Andrew Burton
- Department of Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK
| | - James Lewis
- Department of Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK
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17
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Horigome T, Yoshida S, Tanikawa T, Mimura M, Kishimoto T. Modification of the therapist's facial expressions using virtual reality technology during the treatment of social anxiety disorder: a case series. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1030050. [PMID: 37255521 PMCID: PMC10225735 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1030050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure therapy is a mainstream of treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD). However, effort and time are required to recreate interpersonal situations that produce moderate anxiety. On the other hand, virtual reality exposure therapy can easily control anxiety-inducing conditions and allow for graduated exposure. However, artificial intelligence and animations that speak as naturally as actual humans are not yet practical, adding to the limitations of these treatments. The authors propose the use of a virtual reality technology that can transform facial expressions into smiling or sad faces in real time and display them on a monitor, potentially solving the above-mentioned problems associated with virtual reality animations. This feasibility study was conducted to determine whether this system can be safely applied to the treatment of SAD patients. A total of four SAD patients received 16 exposure therapy sessions led by an experienced therapist over a monitor; throughout the sessions, the facial expressions of the therapist were modified using software to display expressions ranging from smiling to sad on the monitor that was being viewed by the patient. Client satisfaction, treatment alliance, and symptom assessments were then conducted. Although one patient dropped out of the study, treatment satisfaction and treatment alliance were scored high in all the cases. In two of the four cases, the improvement in symptoms was sustained over time. Exposure therapy in which the interviewer's facial expressions are modified to induce appropriate levels of anxiety in the patient can be safely used for the treatment of SAD patients and may be effective for some patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiro Horigome
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Shonan Keiiku Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shigeo Yoshida
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- OMRON SINIC X Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Tanikawa
- Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Research Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaru Mimura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taishiro Kishimoto
- Hills Joint Research Laboratory for Future Preventive Medicine and Wellness, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, New York, NY, United States
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18
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Wong KP, Lai CYY, Qin J. Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials for evaluating the effectiveness of virtual reality therapy for social anxiety disorder. J Affect Disord 2023; 333:353-364. [PMID: 37084968 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of VR therapy (VRT) for symptoms related to social anxiety disorder (SAD), namely fear and avoidance of social interactions and performance situations (FASIP), fear of negative evaluation (FNE), anxiety and depression, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. METHODS Medline, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsychINFO and Scopus were searched to include randomised controlled trials of VRT for SAD that met the criteria. A total of 15 RCTs with 720 participants published between 1998 and 2022 were included. Hedge's g with a 95 % confidence interval (CI) was adopted to compute the effect sizes. RESULTS Results showed no difference between the effect of VRT and CBT on FASIP, FNE, anxiety and depression and a large effect size for VRT versus the waitlist control group on FASIP (g = -1.170, 95 % CI: -2.056-0.283; p < 0.010). The moderator analysis demonstrated that VRT was superior to the controlled group in addressing FASIP, FNE and anxiety when the sample size was smaller than 50 and the number of sessions was five or fewer. LIMITATIONS Differences in hardware, software and intervention duration for VRT across studies. CONCLUSION This study confirmed the feasibility of VRT in alleviating the FASIP in patients with SAD, with the waitlist control group as a comparison. However, the effectiveness of VRT was not significant in FASIP, FNE, anxiety and depression compared to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Additional social interaction scenarios should be developed in VRT, standardised hardware should be used and the proper length of exposure time to VR should be determined to enhance the efficacy of VRT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka Po Wong
- Centre for Smart Health, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Cynthia Yuen Yi Lai
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jing Qin
- Centre for Smart Health, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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19
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Horigome T, Kurokawa S, Sawada K, Kudo S, Shiga K, Mimura M, Kishimoto T. Response to Morina et al.'s criticisms of Horigome et al.'s recent report on the efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder. Psychol Med 2023; 53:2179-2180. [PMID: 34664548 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721004086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Toshiro Horigome
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shunya Kurokawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kyosuke Sawada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shun Kudo
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kiko Shiga
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaru Mimura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taishiro Kishimoto
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Keio University School of Medicine, Hills Joint Research Laboratory for Future Preventive Medicine and Wellness, Tokyo, Japan
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, New York, USA
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20
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Morina N, Kampmann I, Emmelkamp P, Barbui C, Hoppen TH. Meta-analysis of virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder. Psychol Med 2023; 53:2176-2178. [PMID: 34001293 PMCID: PMC10106288 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721001690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nexhmedin Morina
- Institute of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Isabel Kampmann
- Institute of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Paul Emmelkamp
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Corrado Barbui
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Thole H. Hoppen
- Institute of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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21
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Chard I, Van Zalk N, Picinali L. Virtual reality exposure therapy for reducing social anxiety in stuttering: A randomized controlled pilot trial. Front Digit Health 2023; 5:1061323. [PMID: 36845336 PMCID: PMC9947508 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2023.1061323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
We report on findings from the first randomized controlled pilot trial of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) developed specifically for reducing social anxiety associated with stuttering. People who stutter with heightened social anxiety were recruited from online adverts and randomly allocated to receive VRET (n = 13) or be put on a waitlist (n = 12). Treatment was delivered remotely using a smartphone-based VR headset. It consisted of three weekly sessions, each comprising both performative and interactive exposure exercises, and was guided by a virtual therapist. Multilevel model analyses failed to demonstrate the effectiveness of VRET at reducing social anxiety between pre- and post-treatment. We found similar results for fear of negative evaluation, negative thoughts associated with stuttering, and stuttering characteristics. However, VRET was associated with reduced social anxiety between post-treatment and one-month follow-up. These pilot findings suggest that our current VRET protocol may not be effective at reducing social anxiety amongst people who stutter, though might be capable of supporting longer-term change. Future VRET protocols targeting stuttering-related social anxiety should be explored with larger samples. The results from this pilot trial provide a solid basis for further design improvements and for future research to explore appropriate techniques for widening access to social anxiety treatments in stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Chard
- Design Psychology Lab, Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nejra Van Zalk
- Design Psychology Lab, Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lorenzo Picinali
- Audio Experience Design Group, Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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22
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Chowdhury N, Khandoker AH. The gold-standard treatment for social anxiety disorder: A roadmap for the future. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1070975. [PMID: 36755980 PMCID: PMC9901528 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1070975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure therapy (ET), which follows the Pavlovian extinction model, is regarded as the gold-standard treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD). The prospect of virtual reality in lieu of a traditional laboratory setting for the treatment of SAD has not been rigorously explored. The aim of the review was to summarize, find gaps in the current literature, and formulate future research direction by identifying two broad research questions: the comparative efficacy between in vivo ET and virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) and the effectiveness of the Pavlovian extinction model in treating SAD. The criteria for effectiveness were effect size, relapse prevention, attrition rate and ecological validity. A literature search on recent randomized controlled trials yielded a total of 6 original studies (N=358), excluding duplication and overlapping participants. All studies supported that VRET was as effective as in vivo ET. Behavioral therapy that follows classical conditioning principles has a high attrition and relapse rate. Comparisons were drawn between the efficacy of the Pavlovian extinction model and other existing models, including third-wave approaches. The neural markers are suggested to be included as efficacy measures in treating SAD. The gold-standard treatment for SAD requires a paradigm shift through rigorous longitudinal comparative studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayeefa Chowdhury
- School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ahsan H. Khandoker
- Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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23
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Tsamitros N, Beck A, Sebold M, Schouler-Ocak M, Bermpohl F, Gutwinski S. [The application of virtual reality in the treatment of mental disorders]. DER NERVENARZT 2023; 94:27-33. [PMID: 36053303 PMCID: PMC9859917 DOI: 10.1007/s00115-022-01378-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Virtual reality (VR) enables immersion in an interactive digital world with realistic experiences, that can be applied for controlled and personalized interventions. This review summarizes the current research on VR in the treatment of mental disorders. METHODS Selective literature search in PubMed and Google Scholar. RESULTS An increasing number of publications report the therapeutic application of VR for the treatment of mental disorders. Most VR applications are based on established therapy approaches, such as exposure therapy. According to meta-analytic data, virtual exposure therapy (VRET) for specific phobia and agoraphobia with panic disorder is as effective as traditional in vivo exposure therapy. VRET for the treatment of social phobia is significantly more effective than waitlist and placebo control groups with, however, currently inconsistent metanalytic results when compared to in vivo exposure therapy. VRET for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is similar in effectiveness compared to active psychotherapy. For psychosis, positive results have been reported for the VR-based treatment of auditory verbal hallucinations. For patients with a substance use disorder, VR can induce craving, with still unverified diagnostic and therapeutic relevance. CONCLUSIONS VRET can broaden the psychotherapy options for anxiety disorders. Encouraging results of VR-based treatments for psychosis and PTSD indicate the need for further research concerning its effectiveness and safety. In the field of substance use disorders, evaluation of clinical-orientated VR applications is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Tsamitros
- Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik der Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin im St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus/Institutsambulanz, Müllerstr. 56–58, 13349 Berlin, Deutschland ,Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Deutschland ,Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - A. Beck
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Deutschland ,Fakultät Gesundheit, Health and Medical University, Campus Potsdam, Potsdam, Deutschland
| | - M. Sebold
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - M. Schouler-Ocak
- Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik der Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin im St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus/Institutsambulanz, Müllerstr. 56–58, 13349 Berlin, Deutschland ,Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - F. Bermpohl
- Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik der Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin im St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus/Institutsambulanz, Müllerstr. 56–58, 13349 Berlin, Deutschland ,Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - S. Gutwinski
- Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik der Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin im St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus/Institutsambulanz, Müllerstr. 56–58, 13349 Berlin, Deutschland ,Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Deutschland
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24
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Assessment of the validity and feasibility of a novel virtual reality test of emotion regulation in patients with bipolar disorder and their unaffected relatives. J Affect Disord 2022; 318:217-223. [PMID: 36089075 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emotion dysregulation has been suggested as an endophenotype of bipolar disorder (BD). Neuroimaging studies show aberrant neural activity during emotion regulation in remitted patients with BD and their unaffected first-degree relatives (UR) compared to healthy controls (HC). However, behavioural studies produce conflicting - generally negative findings - possibly due to limited sensitivity and ecological validity of current behavioural paradigms. METHODS This study aimed to explore emotion regulation in BD (n = 30) and UR (n = 26) relative to HC (n = 47) by using a novel emotion regulation task in virtual reality (VR). Participants were instructed to either react naturally to, or dampen, their emotional response to highly positive or highly negative scenarios presented in first-person 360-degree spherically camera-recorded VR environments. Participants also completed a more traditional computerised task of emotion regulation for comparison purposes. RESULTS Patients with BD exhibited difficulties with down-regulating their negative emotions in the VR paradigm compared to HC and UR (ps ≤ .04), whereas UR did not differ from HC (p = .97). There was no emotion regulation difference between groups in the more traditional computerised task (ps ≥ .40). LIMITATIONS The small sample size limits generalisability. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest trait-related reduced ability to down-regulate negative emotions in BD patients compared to HC in the VR paradigm, but not in the more traditional task of emotion regulation. This may indicate that VR provides a more sensitive measure relative to traditional paradigms. The findings provided no support for aberrant emotional regulation as an endophenotype of BD given the normal emotion regulation performance in UR.
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25
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Lawson JT, Wissing R, Henderson-Wilson C, Snell T, Chambers TP, McNeil DG, Nuttman S. Health empowerment scripts: Simplifying social/green prescriptions. Front Psychol 2022; 13:889250. [DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.889250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Social prescriptions are one term commonly used to describe non-pharmaceutical approaches to healthcare and are gaining popularity in the community, with evidence highlighting psychological benefits of reduced anxiety, depression and improved mood and physiological benefits of reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and reduced hypertension. The relationship between human health benefits and planetary health benefits is also noted. There are, however, numerous barriers, such as duration and frequencies to participate in activities, access, suitability, volition and a range of unpredictable variables (such as inclement weather, shifting interests and relocating home amongst others) impeding a comprehensive approach to their use on a wider scale. From a multidisciplinary perspective, this commentary incorporates a salutogenic and nature-based approach to health, we also provide a range of recommendations that can be undertaken at the patient level to assist in shifting the acknowledged systemic barriers currently occurring. These include using simple language to explain the purpose of health empowerment scripts, ensuing personal commitment to a minimum timeframe, enabling ease of access, co-designing a script program, providing ongoing motivational support and incorporating mindfulness to counter unexpected disruptions.
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26
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Preliminary Study of Efficacy and Safety of Self-Administered Virtual Exposure Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder vs. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12091236. [PMID: 36138972 PMCID: PMC9496986 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12091236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is one of the most frequent mental disorders. Exposure to virtual reality can be a solution complementing standard CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) or can be used as an independent therapeutic tool. The study’s objective was to assess the safety and efficacy of using self-administered virtual reality exposure vs. CBT and CBT with virtual exposure. We assessed the efficacy of the applied intervention with the Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS). We compared three groups: CBT (n = 25), CBT + VR (n = 29), and self-administered therapy without aid of a therapist (n = 19). The results indicated that all three groups showed changes on the LSAS. The simple effect analysis showed that there were no differences between experimental conditions at T0 (session 1) and T1 (session 9) and that the only significant difference occurred at T2 (session 14). The pairwise comparisons showed that the participants in the VR condition scored higher on the LSAS score during the measurement at T2 than participants in CBT condition. Our study has several limitations. The presented initial study shows that the methods of CBT for social anxiety used so far are also effective, while the VR tool for self-therapy requires further research.
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27
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Fear, psychophysiological arousal, and cognitions during a Virtual Social Skills Training in Social Anxiety Disorder while manipulating gaze duration. Biol Psychol 2022; 175:108432. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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28
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Tao K, Huang Y, Shen Y, Sun L. Automated Stress Recognition Using Supervised Learning Classifiers by Interactive Virtual Reality Scenes. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2022; 30:2060-2066. [PMID: 35857724 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2022.3192571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) technology offers a great opportunity to explore stress disorder therapies. We created a VR stress training system, which incorporates three highly interactive stressful scenes to elicit stress, and demonstrate the concurrent variations between physiological data (heart rate, electrodermal activity and eye-blink rate) and self-reported stress ratings through a self-designed customized perceived stress questionnaire (SSAI) and wearable devices. Several supervised learning models were rigorously applied to automate stress recognition. Our findings include the evaluations of the VR system by computing Cronbach's alpha ( α = 0.72 ) and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) coefficient ( η = 0.78 ) through a retrospective survey, which were subsequently confirmed as reliable on four aspects (sense of presence, sense of space, sense of immersion and sense of reality) via factor analysis. Additionally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of physiology-based stress level classification (no stress, low stress and high stress) and continuous SSAI score prediction, with accuracy reaching 0.742 by bagging ensemble learning model and goodness-of-fit reaching 0.44 via multivariate stepwise regression. This study provides detailed insight regarding the effect of objective physiological measures on the validation of subjective self-ratings under a novel complex VR stress training system, which stimulates the further investigations of stress disorder recognition and treatment.
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29
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Philippe TJ, Sikder N, Jackson A, Koblanski ME, Liow E, Pilarinos A, Vasarhelyi K. Digital Health Interventions for Delivery of Mental Health Care: Systematic and Comprehensive Meta-Review. JMIR Ment Health 2022; 9:e35159. [PMID: 35551058 PMCID: PMC9109782 DOI: 10.2196/35159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted mental health care delivery to digital platforms, videoconferencing, and other mobile communications. However, existing reviews of digital health interventions are narrow in scope and focus on a limited number of mental health conditions. OBJECTIVE To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive systematic meta-review of the literature to assess the state of digital health interventions for the treatment of mental health conditions. METHODS We searched MEDLINE for secondary literature published between 2010 and 2021 on the use, efficacy, and appropriateness of digital health interventions for the delivery of mental health care. RESULTS Of the 3022 records identified, 466 proceeded to full-text review and 304 met the criteria for inclusion in this study. A majority (52%) of research involved the treatment of substance use disorders, 29% focused on mood, anxiety, and traumatic stress disorders, and >5% for each remaining mental health conditions. Synchronous and asynchronous communication, computerized therapy, and cognitive training appear to be effective but require further examination in understudied mental health conditions. Similarly, virtual reality, mobile apps, social media platforms, and web-based forums are novel technologies that have the potential to improve mental health but require higher quality evidence. CONCLUSIONS Digital health interventions offer promise in the treatment of mental health conditions. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital health interventions provide a safer alternative to face-to-face treatment. However, further research on the applications of digital interventions in understudied mental health conditions is needed. Additionally, evidence is needed on the effectiveness and appropriateness of digital health tools for patients who are marginalized and may lack access to digital health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan J Philippe
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Anna Jackson
- School of Social Work, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Maya E Koblanski
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Eric Liow
- Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Andreas Pilarinos
- Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,School of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Krisztina Vasarhelyi
- Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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30
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Premkumar P, Kumari V. Rejection sensitivity and its relationship to schizotypy and aggression: current status and future directions. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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31
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Ong T, Wilczewski H, Soni H, Nisbet Q, Paige SR, Barrera JF, Welch BM, Bunnell BE. The Symbiosis of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy and Telemental Health: A Review. FRONTIERS IN VIRTUAL REALITY 2022; 3:848066. [PMID: 37483657 PMCID: PMC10361704 DOI: 10.3389/frvir.2022.848066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Phobias and related anxiety are common and costly mental health disorders. Experts anticipate the prevalence of phobias will increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Exposure therapies have been established as effective and reliable treatments for anxiety, including recent innovations in virtual reality-based exposure therapy (VRET). With the recent advent of telemental health (TMH), VRET is poised to become mainstream. The combination of VRET and TMH has the potential to extend provider treatment options and improve patient care experiences. In this narrative review, we describe how recent events have accelerated VRET + TMH, identify barriers to VRET + TMH implementation, and discuss strategies to navigate those barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Triton Ong
- Doxy.me Research, Doxy.me Inc., Rochester, NY, United States
| | | | - Hiral Soni
- Doxy.me Research, Doxy.me Inc., Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Quinn Nisbet
- Doxy.me Research, Doxy.me Inc., Rochester, NY, United States
| | | | - Janelle F. Barrera
- Doxy.me Research, Doxy.me Inc., Rochester, NY, United States
- Biomedical Informatics Center, Public Health and Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Brandon M. Welch
- Doxy.me Research, Doxy.me Inc., Rochester, NY, United States
- Innovation in Mental Health Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Brian E. Bunnell
- Doxy.me Research, Doxy.me Inc., Rochester, NY, United States
- Biomedical Informatics Center, Public Health and Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
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Chard I, van Zalk N. Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Treating Social Anxiety: A Scoping Review of Treatment Designs and Adaptation to Stuttering. Front Digit Health 2022; 4:842460. [PMID: 35281220 PMCID: PMC8913509 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2022.842460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) has been shown to be an effective technique for reducing social anxiety. People who stutter are at greater risk of developing heightened social anxiety. Cognitive behavior therapy protocols have shown promise in reducing social anxiety in people who stutter, but no studies have investigated VRET targeting social anxiety associated with stuttering. The aim of the current review is to provide an overview of VRET techniques used to treat social anxiety and insights into how these techniques might be adopted in the case of comorbid stuttering and social anxiety. Twelve studies were reviewed to understand key distinctions in VRET protocols used to treat social anxiety. Distinctions include exercises targeting public speaking vs. general social anxiety, computer-generated virtual environments vs. 360° video, and therapist guided vs. automated VRET. Based on the review findings, we propose how certain features could be applied in the case of stuttering. Virtual therapists, inhibitory learning techniques and integration into speech therapy may be suitable ways to tailor VRET. Regardless of these different techniques, VRET should consider the situations and cognitive-behavioral processes that underlie the experience of social anxiety amongst people who stutter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Chard
- Design Psychology Lab, Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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33
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Virtual Reality Aided Therapy towards Health 4.0: A Two-Decade Bibliometric Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031525. [PMID: 35162546 PMCID: PMC8834834 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Health 4.0 aligns with Industry 4.0 and encourages the application of the latest technologies to healthcare. Virtual reality (VR) is a potentially significant component of the Health 4.0 vision. Though VR in health care is a popular topic, there is little knowledge of VR-aided therapy from a macro perspective. Therefore, this paper was aimed to explore the research of VR in aiding therapy, thus providing a potential guideline for futures application of therapeutic VR in healthcare towards Health 4.0. A mixed research method was adopted for this research, which comprised the use of a bibliometric analysis (a quantitative method) to conduct a macro overview of VR-aided therapy, the identification of significant research structures and topics, and a qualitative review of the literature to reveal deeper insights. Four major research areas of VR-aided therapy were identified and investigated, i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and fear related disorder (A&F), diseases of the nervous system (DNS), and pain management, including related medical conditions, therapies, methods, and outcomes. This study is the first to use VOSviewer, a commonly used software tool for constructing and visualizing bibliometric networks and developed by Center for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University, the Netherlands, to conduct bibliometric analyses on VR-aided therapy from the perspective of Web of Science core collection (WoSc), which objectively and visually shows research structures and topics, therefore offering instructive insights for health care stakeholders (particularly researchers and service providers) such as including integrating more innovative therapies, emphasizing psychological benefits, using game elements, and introducing design research. The results of this paper facilitate with achieving the vision of Health 4.0 and illustrating a two-decade (2000 to year 2020) map of pre-life of the Health Metaverse.
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34
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Kim H, Kim BH, Kim MK, Eom H, Kim JJ. Alteration of resting-state functional connectivity network properties in patients with social anxiety disorder after virtual reality-based self-training. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:959696. [PMID: 36203841 PMCID: PMC9530634 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.959696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a mental disorder characterized by excessive anxiety in social situations. This study aimed to examine the alteration of resting-state functional connectivity in SAD patients related to the virtual reality-based self-training (VRS) which enables exposure to social situations in a controlled environment. Fifty-two SAD patients were randomly assigned to the experimental group who received the VRS, or the control group who did not. Self-report questionnaires and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were performed to assess clinical symptoms and analyze the resting-state network properties, respectively. Significant decrease in social anxiety and an increase in self-esteem was found in the experimental group. From the resting-state fMRI analysis, alteration of local network properties in the left dorsolateral prefrontal gyrus (-10.0%, p = 0.025), left inferior frontal gyrus (-32.3%, p = 0.044), left insula (-17.2%, p = 0.046), left Heschl's gyrus (-21.2%, p = 0.011), bilateral inferior temporal gyrus (right: +122.6%, p = 0.045; left:-46.7%, p = 0.015), and right calcarine sulcus (+17.0%, p = 0.010) were found in the experimental group. Average shortest path length (+8.3%, p = 0.008) and network efficiency (-7.6%, p = 0.011) are found to be altered from the global network property analysis. In addition, the experimental group displayed more positive and more negative changes in the correlation trend of average shortest path length (p = 0.004) and global network efficiency (p = 0.014) with the severity of social anxiety, respectively. These results suggest potential effectiveness of the VRS, which is possibly related to the change of aberrant processing and control of visual and auditory linguistic stimuli and the adaptive change in rumination pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hun Kim
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Byung-Hoon Kim
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Min-Kyeong Kim
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyojung Eom
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jae-Jin Kim
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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35
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Towards Machine Learning Driven Self-guided Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Based on Arousal State Detection from Multimodal Data. Brain Inform 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-15037-1_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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36
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Luan YS, Zhan-Ling G, Mi L, Ying L, Lan B, Tong L. The Experience Among College Students with Social Anxiety Disorder in Social Situations: A Qualitative Study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2022; 18:1729-1737. [PMID: 35996629 PMCID: PMC9391929 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s371402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few individuals have focused on the experience of students during social events, especially among college students with social anxiety disorder. This study aimed to explore the anxiety experience among college students with social anxiety disorder in social situations. METHODS This qualitative interpretive study was conducted on college students who were diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD) and recruited from two colleges in Heilongjiang Province, China. A total of 7 participants were selected by purposive sampling with maximum variability. Data were collected through semistructured individual interviews, and data analysis was performed by using Colaizzi's 7-step analysis method. RESULTS The findings from the analysis of the interviews were classified into 4 themes and several main categories, including distorted self-awareness (3 main categories), fear of negative reaction from others (2 main categories), adverse reaction of body and mind (4 main categories) and strong desire to seek treatment. CONCLUSION In our study, we sought to understand the anxiety experience among college students with social anxiety disorder in social situations. The study results provide a reference for psychologists and clinical medical staff and establish a scientific basis for the prevention and intervention of social anxiety disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Song Luan
- Department of Nursing Science, Shandong Traditional Chinese Medicine College, YanTai, People's Republic of China
| | - Gao Zhan-Ling
- Department of Nursing Science, Shandong Traditional Chinese Medicine College, YanTai, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Mi
- Department of Nursing Science, Shandong Traditional Chinese Medicine College, YanTai, People's Republic of China
| | - Liu Ying
- Department of Neurosurgery, YanTai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical College, YanTai, People's Republic of China
| | - Bai Lan
- Department of Nursing Science, Shandong Traditional Chinese Medicine College, YanTai, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Tong
- Department of Nursing Science, Shandong Traditional Chinese Medicine College, YanTai, People's Republic of China
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37
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Zainal NH, Chan WW, Saxena AP, Taylor CB, Newman MG. Pilot randomized trial of self-guided virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder. Behav Res Ther 2021; 147:103984. [PMID: 34740099 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2021.103984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) has shown promising efficacy for the treatment of social anxiety disorder (SAD) and related comorbidities. However, most trials conducted to date were therapist-led, and little is known about the efficacy of self-guided VRE. Therefore, this randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to determine the efficacy of a self-directed VRE for SAD. METHOD Forty-four community-dwelling or undergraduate adults diagnosed with SAD based on the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview were randomly assigned to VRE designed to last four sessions or more (n = 26) or waitlist (WL; n = 18). Self-reported SAD severity (Social Phobia Diagnostic Questionnaire and Social Interaction Anxiety Scale), job interview anxiety (Measure of Anxiety in Selection Interviews), trait worry (Penn State Worry Questionnaire), and depression symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) were administered at baseline, post-treatment, 3-month-follow-up (3MFU), and 6-month-follow-up (6MFU). Piecewise multilevel modeling analyses were conducted to manage clustering in the data. RESULTS VRE vs. WL resulted in greater reductions in SAD symptom severity, job interview fear, and trait worry, with moderate-to-large effect sizes (Hedge's g = -0.54 to -1.11) from pre-to-post treatment. Although significant between-group differences did not emerge for change in depression, VRE led to change in depression, whereas waitlist did not. These gains were also maintained at 3MFU and 6MFU. Further, facets of presence increased during the course of VRE (g = 0.36-0.45), whereas cybersickness decreased (g = -0.43). DISCUSSION Brief, self-guided VRE might ameliorate SAD and comorbid worry, for young-to-middle-aged adults with SAD. Other theoretical and practical implications were also discussed.
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Álvarez-Pérez Y, Rivero F, Herrero M, Viña C, Fumero A, Betancort M, Peñate W. Changes in Brain Activation through Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with Exposure to Virtual Reality: A Neuroimaging Study of Specific Phobia. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10163505. [PMID: 34441804 PMCID: PMC8397119 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10163505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure is the treatment of choice for specific phobia. Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) has shown benefits for the treatment and prevention of the return of fear in specific phobias by addressing the therapeutic limitations of exposure to real images. Method: Thirty-one participants with specific phobias to small animals were included: 14 were treated with CBT + VRET (intervention group), and 17 were treated with CBT + exposure to real images (active control group). Participants’ scores in anxiety and phobia levels were measured at baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up, and brain activation was measured through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) baseline and post-treatment. Results: Both groups showed a significant decrease in anxiety and phobia scores after the therapy and were maintained until follow-up. There were no significant differences between both groups. Overall, fMRI tests showed a significant decrease in brain activity after treatment in some structures (e.g., prefrontal and frontal cortex) and other structures (e.g., precuneus) showed an increasing activity after therapy. However, structures such as the amygdala remained active in both groups. Conclusions: The efficacy of CBT + VRET was observed in the significant decrease in anxiety responses. However, the results of brain activity observed suggest that there was still a fear response in the brain, despite the significant decrease in subjective anxiety levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Álvarez-Pérez
- Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
- Correspondence:
| | - Francisco Rivero
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, University of La Laguna, 38200 Tenerife, Spain; (F.R.); (M.H.); (C.V.); (A.F.); (M.B.); (W.P.)
| | - Manuel Herrero
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, University of La Laguna, 38200 Tenerife, Spain; (F.R.); (M.H.); (C.V.); (A.F.); (M.B.); (W.P.)
| | - Conrado Viña
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, University of La Laguna, 38200 Tenerife, Spain; (F.R.); (M.H.); (C.V.); (A.F.); (M.B.); (W.P.)
| | - Ascensión Fumero
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, University of La Laguna, 38200 Tenerife, Spain; (F.R.); (M.H.); (C.V.); (A.F.); (M.B.); (W.P.)
| | - Moisés Betancort
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, University of La Laguna, 38200 Tenerife, Spain; (F.R.); (M.H.); (C.V.); (A.F.); (M.B.); (W.P.)
| | - Wenceslao Peñate
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, University of La Laguna, 38200 Tenerife, Spain; (F.R.); (M.H.); (C.V.); (A.F.); (M.B.); (W.P.)
- University Institute of Neurosciences (IUNE), University of La Laguna, 38200 Tenerife, Spain
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Jeong HS, Lee JH, Kim HE, Kim JJ. Appropriate Number of Treatment Sessions in Virtual Reality-Based Individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10050915. [PMID: 33652739 PMCID: PMC7956456 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10050915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) was introduced to maximize the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) by efficiently performing exposure therapy. The purpose of this study was to find out whether VR-based individual CBT with relatively few treatment sessions is effective in improving social anxiety disorder (SAD). This therapy was applied to 115 patients with SAD who were retrospectively classified into 43 patients who completed the nine or 10 sessions normally (normal termination group), 52 patients who finished the sessions early (early termination group), and 20 patients who had extended the sessions (session extension group). The Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE) scores tended to decrease in all groups as the session progressed, and the slope of decrease was the steepest in the early termination group and the least steep in the session extension group. Severity of social anxiety in the last session and symptom reduction rate showed no significant group difference. Our findings suggest that short-term VR-based individual CBT of nine to 10 sessions may be effective. When the therapeutic effect is insufficient during this period, the additional benefit may be minimal if the session is simply extended. The improvement in the early termination group suggests that even shorter sessions of five or six can also be effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyu Seok Jeong
- Department of Psychiatry, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 06273, Korea;
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
| | - Jee Hyun Lee
- Department of Social Work and Services, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 06273, Korea;
| | - Hesun Erin Kim
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
| | - Jae-Jin Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 06273, Korea;
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
- Correspondence:
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Parsons TD. Ethical Challenges of Using Virtual Environments in the Assessment and Treatment of Psychopathological Disorders. J Clin Med 2021; 10:378. [PMID: 33498255 PMCID: PMC7863955 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10030378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinicians are increasingly interested in the potential of virtual environments for research and praxes. Virtual environments include both immersive and non-immersive simulations of everyday activities. Moreover, algorithmic devices and adaptive virtual environments allow clinicians a medium for personalizing technologies to their patients. There is also increasing recognition of social virtual environments that connect virtual environments to social networks. Although there has been a great deal of deliberation on these novel technologies for assessment and treatment, less discourse has occurred around the ethical challenges that may ensue when these technologies are applied clinically. In this paper, some of the ethical issues involved in the clinical use of novel technologies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D. Parsons
- iCenter for Affective Technologies (iCAN), University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76207, USA;
- Computational Neuropsychology and Simulation (CNS), University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76207, USA
- College of Information, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76207, USA
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Premkumar P, Heym N, Brown DJ, Battersby S, Sumich A, Huntington B, Daly R, Zysk E. The Effectiveness of Self-Guided Virtual-Reality Exposure Therapy for Public-Speaking Anxiety. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:694610. [PMID: 34489755 PMCID: PMC8416913 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.694610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Self-guided virtual-reality exposure therapy (VRET) is a psychological intervention that enables a person to increase their own exposure to perceived threat. Public-speaking anxiety (PSA) is an anxiety-provoking social situation that is characterized by fear of negative evaluation from an audience. This pilot study aimed to determine whether self-guided VRET (1) increases exposure to PSA-specific virtual social threats, and (2) reduces anxiety, arousal, heartrate and PSA over repeated exposure. Methods: Thirty-two University students (27 completers) with high self-reported public-speaking anxiety attended 2 weekly self-guided VRET sessions. Each session involved the participant delivering a 20-min speech in a virtual classroom. Participants were able to increase their exposure to virtual social threat through the audience size, audience reaction, number of speech prompts, and their own salience in the virtual classroom at 4-min intervals. Participants' heartrates and self-reported anxiety and arousal were monitored during these intervals. Participants completed psychometric assessments after each session and 1 month later. Results: Participants increased their exposure to virtual social threat during each VRET session, which coincided with a reduction in heartrate and self-reported anxiety and arousal. Improvement in PSA occurred post-treatment and 1 month later. The in-session improvement in anxiety correlated with reductions in fear of negative evaluation post-treatment and 1 month later. Conclusions: Increased self-exposure to virtual social threat from self-guided VRET relieves anxiety and shows immediate reductions in subjective and physiological arousal during application, but also yields sustained improvement in PSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preethi Premkumar
- Division of Psychology, London South Bank University, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nadja Heym
- Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - David Joseph Brown
- Department of Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Battersby
- Department of Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Sumich
- Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Bethany Huntington
- Department of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Rosie Daly
- Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Eva Zysk
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Krzystanek M, Surma S, Stokrocka M, Romańczyk M, Przybyło J, Krzystanek N, Borkowski M. Tips for Effective Implementation of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy in Phobias-A Systematic Review. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:737351. [PMID: 34621197 PMCID: PMC8490820 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.737351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The high incidence of phobias and the limited accessibility of psychotherapy are the reasons for the search for alternative treatments that increase the availability of effective treatment. The use of virtual reality (VR) technology is an option with the potential to overcome the barriers in obtaining an effective treatment. VR exposure therapy (VRET) is based on a very similar rationale for in vivo exposure therapy. The study aimed to answer the question of how to perform exposure therapy in a virtual reality environment so that it is effective. Methods: A systematic review of the literature, using PRISMA guidelines, was performed. After analysis of 362 records, 11 research papers on agoraphobia, 28 papers on social phobia and 10 about specific phobias were selected for this review. Results: VRET in agoraphobia and social phobia is effective when performed from 8 to 12 sessions, on average once a week for at least 15 min. In turn, the treatment of specific phobias is effective even in the form of one longer session, lasting 45-180 min. Head mounted displays are an effective technology for VRET. Increasing the frequency of sessions and adding drug therapy may shorten the overall treatment duration. The effectiveness of VRET in phobias is greater without concomitant psychiatric comorbidity and on the condition of inducing and maintaining in the patient an experience of immersion in the VR environment. Long-term studies show a sustained effect of VRET in the treatment of phobias. Conclusion: A large number of studies on in VR exposure therapy in phobias allows for the formulation of some recommendations on how to perform VRET, enabling the effective treatment. The review also indicates the directions of further VRET research in the treatment of phobias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Krzystanek
- Clinic of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Stanisław Surma
- Clinic of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | | | - Monika Romańczyk
- Clinic of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Jacek Przybyło
- Multispecialistic Voivodship Medical Clinic in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | | | - Mariusz Borkowski
- Department of Research and Development, Polfa Tarchomin, Warszawa, Poland
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