scholarly journals AN-VR-BE. A Randomized Controlled Trial for Reducing Fear of Gaining Weight and Other Eating Disorder Symptoms in Anorexia Nervosa through Virtual Reality-Based Body Exposure

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 682
Author(s):  
Bruno Porras-Garcia ◽  
Marta Ferrer-Garcia ◽  
Eduardo Serrano-Troncoso ◽  
Marta Carulla-Roig ◽  
Pau Soto-Usera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Treatment As Usual ◽  
Experimental Group

In vivo body exposure therapy is considered an effective and suitable intervention to help patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) reduce their body image disturbances (BIDs). However, these interventions have notable limitations and cannot effectively reproduce certain fears usually found in AN, such as the fear of gaining weight (FGW). The latest developments in virtual reality (VR) technology and embodiment-based procedures could overcome these limitations and allow AN patients to confront their FGW and BIDs. This study aimed to provide further evidence of the efficacy of an enhanced (by means of embodiment) VR-based body exposure therapy for the treatment of AN. Thirty-five AN patients (16 in the experimental group, 19 in the control group) participated in the study. FGW, BIDs, and other body-related and ED measures were assessed before and after the intervention and three months later. The experimental group received treatment as usual (TAU) and five additional sessions of VR-based body exposure therapy, while the control group received only TAU. After the intervention, ED symptoms were clearly reduced in both groups, with most of the changes being more noticeable in the experimental group. Specifically, after the intervention and at follow-up, significant group differences were found in the FGW and BIDs, with the experimental group showing significantly lower values than the control group. The current study provides new insights and encouraging findings in the field of exposure-based therapies in AN. VR technology might improve research and clinical practice in AN by providing new tools to help patients confront their core fears (i.e., food- or weight-related cues) and improve their emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to their body image.

Testing the Effectiveness of a Strengths-Based Intervention Targeting All 24 Strengths: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
pp. 003329412093744
Author(s):  
Lobna Chérif ◽  
Valerie M. Wood ◽  
Christian Watier
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Character Strengths ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Strength Development ◽  
Character Strength ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Time Interaction ◽  
Experimental Group

This study assessed the effectiveness of a strengths-based randomized controlled trial focused on fostering all 24 character strengths in a group of 75 participants from a University in Tunisia. Participants randomly assigned to the challenge condition (n = 40) received an email each day for 24 days, that highlighted a particular strength of the day including why the strength is valuable, how to implement the strength behaviourally, and a motto related to that strength. Those in the control condition (n = 35) simply received emails containing the motto for each strength daily for 24 days. We assessed all participants’ levels of happiness before the experiment (T0), the day following the experiment (T1), and one-month following the experiment (T2). Results from a 2 (group) X 3 (time) split plot ANOVA revealed a significant group-by-time interaction, such that at T2 the experimental group had greater happiness scores than the control group. These findings provide some evidence that even “minimalist” interventions (involving the receipt of emails encouraging character-strength development), might be effective for promoting gains in happiness even one month after the intervention.

scholarly journals A randomised clinical trial to evaluate the acceptability and efficacy of an early phase, online, guided augmentation of outpatient care for adults with anorexia nervosa

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (15) ◽  
pp. 2610-2621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Cardi ◽  
Gaia Albano ◽  
Suman Ambwani ◽  
Li Cao ◽  
Ross D. Crosby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Social Adjustment ◽  
Outpatient Service ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Outpatient Services ◽  
Motivation To Change ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Treatment As Usual

AbstractBackgroundOutpatient interventions for adult anorexia nervosa typically have a modest impact on weight and eating disorder symptomatology. This study examined whether adding a brief online intervention focused on enhancing motivation to change and the development of a recovery identity (RecoveryMANTRA) would improve outcomes in adults with anorexia nervosa.MethodsParticipants with anorexia nervosa (n = 187) were recruited from 22 eating disorder outpatient services throughout the UK. They were randomised to receiving RecoveryMANTRA in addition to treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 99; experimental group) or TAU only (n = 88; control group). Outcomes were measured at end-of-intervention (6 weeks), 6 and 12 months.ResultsAdherence rates to RecoveryMANTRA were 83% for the online guidance sessions and 77% for the use of self-help materials (workbook and/or short video clips). Group differences in body mass index at 6 weeks (primary outcome) were not significant. Group differences in eating disorder symptoms, psychological wellbeing and work and social adjustment (at 6 weeks and at follow-up) were not significant, except for a trend-level greater reduction in anxiety at 6 weeks in the RecoveryMANTRA group (p = 0.06). However, the RecoveryMANTRA group had significantly higher levels of confidence in own ability to change (p = 0.02) and alliance with the therapist at the outpatient service (p = 0.005) compared to the control group at 6 weeks.ConclusionsAugmenting outpatient treatment for adult anorexia nervosa with a focus on recovery and motivation produced short-term reductions in anxiety and increased confidence to change and therapeutic alliance.

scholarly journals Effects of Specific Virtual Reality-Based Therapy for the Rehabilitation of the Upper Limb Motor Function Post-Ictus: Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 555
Author(s):  
Marta Rodríguez-Hernández ◽  
Begoña Polonio-López ◽  
Ana-Isabel Corregidor-Sánchez ◽  
José L. Martín-Conty ◽  
Alicia Mohedano-Moriano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Motor Function ◽  
Conventional Treatment ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Upper Extremities ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure ◽  
Experimental Group

This research analyzed the combined effect of conventional treatment and virtual reality exposure therapy on the motor function of the upper extremities in people with stroke. We designed a randomized controlled trial set in the rehabilitation and neurology departments of a hospital (Talavera de la Reina, Spain). The subjects included 43 participants, all randomized into experimental (conventional treatment + virtual reality exposure therapy) and control group (conventional treatment).; The main measures were Fugl-Meyer Assessment for upper extremity, Modified Ashworth Scale, and Stroke Impact Scale 3.0. The results included 23 patients in the experimental (62.6 ± 13.5 years) and 20 in the control group (63.6 ± 12.2 years) who completed the study. After the intervention, muscle tone diminished in both groups, more so in the experimental group (mean baseline/post-intervention: from 1.30 to 0.60; η2 = 0.237; p = 0.001). Difficulties in performing functional activities that implicate the upper limb also diminished. Regarding the global recovery from stroke, both groups improved scores, but the experimental group scored significantly higher than the controls (mean baseline/post-intervention: from 28.7 to 86.5; η2 = 0.633; p = 0.000). In conclusion, conventional rehabilitation combined with specific virtual reality seems to be more efficacious than conventional physiotherapy and occupational therapy alone in improving motor function of the upper extremities and the autonomy of survivors of stroke in activities of daily living.

scholarly journals Counseling in Primary Care Improves Depression and Quality of Life

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 152-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
MG Carta ◽  
D Petretto ◽  
S Adamo ◽  
KM Bhat ◽  
ME Lecca ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
World Health ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Experimental Sample ◽  
World Health Organization Quality ◽  
Treatment As Usual ◽  
Experimental Group

Introduction:To measure the effectiveness on Quality of Life of adjunctive cognitive behavioral counseling in the setting of General Practitioners (GPs) along with the treatment as usual (TAU;) for the treatment of depression.Methods:Six month-controlled trial of patients who were referred to randomly assigned GPs (four for experimental group of patients and ten for the control) was done. Experimental sample had 34 patients with DSM-IV diagnosis of Depression (Depressed Episode, Dysthymia, or Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood) receiving the TAU supplemented with counseling. Control group had 30 patients with diagnosis of Depression receiving only the TAU.Results:The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score improved in both groups. Patients in the experimental group showed greater improvement compared to the control group at T2. The World Health Organization Quality OF Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL) score also improved in the experimental group but not in the control group. The improvement in the experimental group was statistically significant in terms of both BDI and WHOQOL scores.Conclusions:Adding counseling to TAU in general medical practice settings is more effective in controlling the symptoms of depression and improving the quality of life as measured over a period of six months, than TAU alone. These results while encouraging, also calls for a larger study involving a largersample size and a longer period of time.

scholarly journals Effects of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy on Dentophobia in Clients of Dental Offices in Isfahan, Tehran, and Shahrekord (Iran)

2021 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elham Majidi ◽  
Gholamreza Manshaee
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Statistical Population ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy ◽  
Dental Offices ◽  
Virtual Reality Exposure ◽  
Experimental Group

Background: Dentophobia can reduce the number of regular visits to dentists and endanger the oral health of people. New technologies such as virtual reality (VR) can be used in the treatment of psychological problems such as dentophobia. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) on dentophobia in clients of dental offices in the cities of Isfahan, Tehran, and Shahrekord in 2020. Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design and a control group. The statistical population of this study consisted of all clients with dentophobia visiting private dental clinics of Isfahan, Tehran, and Shahrekord in 2020. Thirty clients with dentophobia who were willing to participate in the research were selected as the sample using convenience sampling and randomly divided into experimental and control groups (n = 15 per group). The experimental group underwent eight sessions (15-minutes sessions per week) of virtual reality exposure therapy, while the control group received no intervention. The follow-up was performed after 45 days. The research instruments included the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), Samsung Gear 360 (2017 Edition), and HTC VIVE Pro Virtual Reality Headset. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: The results showed that virtual reality exposure therapy effectively decreased dentophobia in clients of dental offices in the experimental group (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: According to research findings, virtual reality exposure therapy was an efficient therapy for improving dentophobia and reducing phobia symptoms in clients of dental offices.

scholarly journals The Effect of Peer Support on Postpartum Depression: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy-Lee Dennis
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Postpartum Depression ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Training Session ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Experimental Group

Objective: To evaluate the effect of peer support (mother-to-mother) on depressive symptomatology among mothers identified as high-risk for postpartum depression (PPD). Method: Forty-two mothers in British Columbia were identified as high-risk for PPD according to the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and randomly assigned to either a control group (that is, to standard community postpartum care) or an experimental group. The experimental group received standard care plus telephone-based peer support, initiated within 48 to 72 hours of randomization, from a mother who previously experienced PPD and attended a 4-hour training session. Research assistants blind to group allocation conducted follow-up assessments on diverse outcomes, including depressive symptomatology, at 4 and 8 weeks postrandomization. Results: Significant group differences were found in probable major depressive symptomatology (EPDS > 12) at the 4-week (χ2 = 5.18, df = 1; P = 0.02) and 8-week (χ2 = 6.37, df = 1; P = 0.01) assessments. Specifically, at the 4-week assessment 40.9% ( n = 9) of mothers in the control group scored > 12 on the EPDS, compared with only 10% ( n = 2) in the experimental group. Similar findings were found at the 8-week assessment, when 52.4% ( n = 11) of mothers in the control group scored > 12 on the EPDS, compared with 15% ( n = 3) of mothers in the experimental group. Of the 16 mothers in the experimental group who evaluated the intervention, 87.5% were satisfied with their peer-support experience. Conclusions: Telephone-based peer support may effectively decrease depressive symptomatology among new mothers. The high maternal satisfaction with, and acceptance of, the intervention suggests that a larger trial is feasible.

scholarly journals A KinectTM-based, task-specific, virtual reality rehabilitation game for patients with stroke: A usability test and clinical trial (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yangfan Xu ◽  
Qinzi Tongmei ◽  
Yangyang Lin ◽  
Wai-Kit Ming ◽  
Wangxiang Mai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Clinical Efficacy ◽  
Group Interaction ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Significant Time ◽  
Feasibility Test ◽  
Experimental Group

BACKGROUND The use of Virtual Reality (VR) is popular in clinical rehabilitation, but the effects of using commercial VR games in stroke patients have been mixed. OBJECTIVE Therefore, we developed a Kinect-based task-specific virtual reality game, “Stomp Joy”, for post-stroke rehabilitation of the lower extremities. This study aim to assess its feasibility and clinical efficacy. METHODS We carried out a feasibility test for “Stomp Joy” within representative user groups. Then, a clinical efficacy experiment was performed with a randomized controlled trial of 22 patients with stroke who received ten sessions (2 weeks) of conventional physical therapy only (control group) or conventional physical therapy plus 30 min of “Stomp Joy” intervention (experimental group). The Fugl-Meyer Assessment for lower extremity (FMA-LE), Modified Bathel Index (MBI), Berg Balance Scale Score (BBS), Single leg supporting time (SLS Time), drop-out rate, and adverse effects were recorded. RESULTS The feasibility test showed “Stomp Joy” improved interest, pressure, perceived competence, value, and effort by using intrinsic motivation scale (IMI). The clinical efficacy trial showed that a significant time-group interaction effect for FMA-LE (p = 0.006), MBI (p = 0.001), BBS (p = 0.004), and SLS Time (p = 0.001). A significant time effect was found in FMA-LE (p = 0.001), MBI (p < 0.001), BBS (p < 0.001), and SLS Time (p = 0.025). These indicate an improvement in LE motor ability, basic activities of daily living, balance ability, and single-leg supporting time in both groups after 2 weeks of intervention. However, no significant effects were found of group on FMA-LE (p = 0.06), MBI (p = 0.76), and BBS (p = 0.38), while a significant group interaction was detected for SLS Time (p < 0.001). These results indicate that the experimental group significantly improved more in SLS Time than the control group. No one left the trial, and no adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS “Stomp Joy” is an effective Kinect-base VR game for replacing part of the conventional physiotherapy time, achieving equally effective improvement in LE function among stroke survivors.

scholarly journals Lower Extremity Rehabilitation in Patients with Post-Stroke Sequelae through Virtual Reality Associated with Mirror Therapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2654
Author(s):  
Roxana Steliana Miclaus ◽  
Nadinne Roman ◽  
Ramona Henter ◽  
Silviu Caloian
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Lower Extremity ◽  
Range Of Motion ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mirror Therapy ◽  
Cohen’S D ◽  
Cohen's D ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Post Therapy

More innovative technologies are used worldwide in patient’s rehabilitation after stroke, as it represents a significant cause of disability. The majority of the studies use a single type of therapy in therapeutic protocols. We aimed to identify if the association of virtual reality (VR) therapy and mirror therapy (MT) exercises have better outcomes in lower extremity rehabilitation in post-stroke patients compared to standard physiotherapy. Fifty-nine inpatients from 76 initially identified were included in the research. One experimental group (n = 31) received VR therapy and MT, while the control group (n = 28) received standard physiotherapy. Each group performed seventy minutes of therapy per day for ten days. Statistical analysis was performed with nonparametric tests. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test showed that both groups registered significant differences between pre-and post-therapy clinical status for the range of motion and muscle strength (p < 0.001 and Cohen’s d between 0.324 and 0.645). Motor Fugl Meyer Lower Extremity Assessment also suggested significant differences pre-and post-therapy for both groups (p < 0.05 and Cohen’s d 0.254 for the control group and 0.685 for the experimental group). Mann-Whitney results suggested that VR and MT as a therapeutic intervention have better outcomes than standard physiotherapy in range of motion (p < 0.05, Cohen’s d 0.693), muscle strength (p < 0.05, Cohen’s d 0.924), lower extremity functionality (p < 0.05, Cohen’s d 0.984) and postural balance (p < 0.05, Cohen’s d 0.936). Our research suggests that VR therapy associated with MT may successfully substitute classic physiotherapy in lower extremity rehabilitation after stroke.

scholarly journals Efficacy of axial TheraTogs on gait pattern in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shamekh Mohamed El-Shamy ◽  
Ehab Mohamed Abd El Kafy
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Muscle Tone ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Gait Pattern ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Gait Parameters ◽  
Experimental Group

Abstract Background TheraTogs promotes proprioceptive sense of a child with cerebral palsy and improves abnormal muscle tone, posture alignment, balance, and gait. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of TheraTogs orthotic undergarment on gait pattern in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Thirty children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy were selected for this randomized controlled study. They were randomly assigned to (1) an experimental group that received TheraTogs orthotic undergarment (12 h/day, 3 days/week) plus traditional physical therapy for 3 successive months and (2) a control group that received only traditional physical therapy program for the same time period. Gait parameters were measured at baseline and after 3 months of intervention using Pro-Reflex motion analysis. Results Children in both groups showed significant improvements in the gait parameters (P < 0.05), with significantly greater improvements in the experimental group than in the control group. Conclusions The use of TheraTogs may have a positive effect to improve gait pattern in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Trial registration This trial was registered in the ClinicalTrial.gov PRS (NCT03037697).

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