Difede and Hoffman (abnormal, cog)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To explore whether immersive VR could be used to facilitate the patient’s emotional engagement and improve the efficacy of exposure therapy for acute PTSD.

Question 2

Procedure

Answer 2

• Patient diagnosed with PTSD and major depression after Sept 11 attacks (no history of disorders before event) who was emotionless in her recall and unable to recall many details
• Patient read distress during session while revisiting scene of WTC towers, right before plane hit and then through a series of scenes (each scene was viewed separately), each escalating in stress (11 scenes in the sequence)
• Each scene was repeated until the patient’s self-reported distress level decreased by at leat 50% (decreasing fear, increasing habituation)
• Next sequence was not started until verbal consent was given by patient
• Sessions were approx one hour (6 sessions in total over 14 weeks)

Question 3

Findings

Answer 3

• During VR exposure therapy, patient could remember details previously forgotten or unable to recall
• Decrease in self-reported level of distress over time for each VR event
• After completion of VR treatment, patient no longer met criteria for PTSD, major depression or any other disorder (examination completed by an independent assessor)
• VR exposure therapy could allow patients who are unable to recall events to encounter and habituate their trauma

Question 4

Strengths

Answer 4

• Case study allowed the researchers to create a very realistic scenario and individualized treatment (would not be possible for a study with thousands of participants)

Question 5

Limitations

Answer 5

• Difficult to generalize results

Question 6

Ethical Considerations

Answer 6

• Protection from harm
  - Researchers had to determine whether the benefits outweigh the risk
  - Virtual reality exposure therapy is not currently recommended as a treatment for PTSD by the APA

Question 7

Research Method

Answer 7

Case Study