Use of Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Flying Phobia

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Flying Phobia
• Interventions: Behavioral: Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy; Behavioral: Exposure Therapy through Imagination

• Registration Number: NCT01442805
• Lead Sponsor: Luxembourg Institute of Health

Brief Summary

The project aims to explore the potential of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) for the treatment of the fear of driving, the fear of flying and the fear of public speaking.

The study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to compare the efficiency of cognitive behavioural therapy with exposures in imagination to behavioural therapy with exposures in virtual reality. Anxiety levels are measured using specific questionnaires, SUD ratings and physiological measures (heart rate, skin conductance, skin temperature, breathing frequency, heart rate variability).

Hypothesis: Treatments with exposures in virtual reality are more efficient than treatments with exposures in imagination.

Detailed Description

In the past, several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy in the treatment of flying phobia and driving phobia. As an objective tool, psychophysiological recordings help demonstrate the decrease of physiological aspects of anxiety reactions (heart rate, skin conductance, skin temperature, heart rate variability and breathing pattern).

The aim of the present study is to examine the effects of cognitive behavioural therapy with exposures in imagination to behavioural therapy with exposures in virtual reality in the treatment of patients with flying phobia. Thirty patients will be randomized into either an imagination exposure group or a virtual reality exposure group after having received four sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy for coping with panic attacks. Respective exposure therapies consist in four sessions.

Anxiety levels will be measured before and after the cognitive behavioural therapy for coping with panic attacks as well as before and after the exposure therapy sessions and after 3 months using specific questionnaires, SUD ratings and psychophysiological measures (heart rate, skin conductance, skin temperature, breathing frequency and heart rate variability). The exposure stimuli will consist in a 10min movie of a flight with an insight-cabin viewing perspective.

The investigators hypothesize that virtual reality exposure therapies will be more effective than imagination exposure therapy in terms of decrease of anxiety self-ratings and psychophysiological fear reactions.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2008-10
• Primary Completion: 2011-09
• Study First Submitted: 2011-09-15
• Study First Submitted QC: 2011-09-28
• Study First Posted: 2011-09-29
• Study Completion: 2012-03
• Status Verified: 2017-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-03-13
• Last Update Posted: 2017-03-15

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 36

Inclusion Criteria

• Confirmed diagnosis of a specific phobia (DSM-IV-TR)

Exclusion Criteria

• Pregnant women
• Subjects with severe pulmonary / cardiovascular problems; Asthma, epilepsy, vertigo
• Drug abuse
• Subjects under on-stabilized anti-depressant treatment
• Psychotic subjects
• Subjects with suicidal ideas
• Subjects presenting insufficient intellectual capabilities

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
RV	Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy	Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Virtual Reality Exposures
IMAGO	Exposure Therapy through Imagination	Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Exposure Therapy through Imagination

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Flight taken	6 months	Participants are expected to take a real flight

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Physiological Measures	6 months	Heart Rate, Breathing frequency, Skin conductance, Skin Temperature, Heart Rate Variability
Specific Questionnaires	6 months	Specific Questionnaires: SUD, Motivational Scale, Fear Questionnaire Marks 1979, Sheehan Disability Scale, STAI I \& II, BDI, BAI, GAF, Flight Anxiety Situations Questionnaire FAS, Flight Anxiety Modality Questionnaire FAM

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Centre de Recherche Public de la Santé; 🇱🇺 Strassen, Luxembourg