Diaphragmatic Breathing During Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Aviophobia

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Fear of Flying
• Interventions: Behavioral: Diaphragmatic breathing; Behavioral: Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

• Registration Number: NCT02990208
• Lead Sponsor: University of Regensburg

Brief Summary

The study investigated the effect of diaphragmatic breathing as an additional coping strategy during Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy in patients with aviophobia. The authors assumed that diaphragmatic breathing (DB) would lead to less fear and physiological arousal during the VRET and to an enhanced treatment outcome

Detailed Description

Patients with aviophobia received treatment in Virtual Reality with or without DB. The authors assumed that adding DB to VRET would enhance treatment effects by reducing fear during exposure, thus improving the processing of the feared situation. The authors hypothesized that, as a result, self-efficacy would be increased in comparison to VRET alone.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2014-01
• Primary Completion: 2015-10
• Study Completion: 2015-10
• Status Verified: 2016-12
• Study First Submitted: 2016-12-05
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-12-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-12-07
• Study First Posted: 2016-12-13
• Last Update Posted: 2016-12-13

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 30

Inclusion Criteria

• age 20 to 65
• flying experience
• subjective rating of fear of flying > 60 from 100

Exclusion Criteria

• pregnancy
• heart disease
• current involvement in psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapy

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
VR exposure + diaphragmatic breathing	Diaphragmatic breathing	Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy + Diaphragmatic breathing
VR exposure + diaphragmatic breathing	Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy	Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy + Diaphragmatic breathing
VR exposure	Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy	Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in FFS (Fear of Flying Scale) scores	immediately before the exposure session, immediately after the exposure session, immediately before the test session (which took place one week after the exposure session), immediately after the test session, in a follow up (one year later)	The Fear of Flying Scale (FFS; German version (Mühlberger \& Pauli, 2011)) covers 21 flight situations (e.g., planning the trip, boarding a plane, turbulence during the flight) rated on a 5-point Likert scale

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in self-efficacy scores	immediately before the exposure session, immediately after the exposure session, immediately before the test session (which took place one week after the exposure session), immediately after the test session, in a follow up (one year later)
Change in electrodermal activity (skin conductance level)	during the four 2-min phases of each of the three VR flights of the exposure session and of each of the two VR flights of the test session.
Change in heart rate	during the four 2-min phases of each of the three VR flights of the exposure session and of each of the two VR flights of the test session.
Change in fear ratings	both during the VR flights (consisting of four 2-min phases each) of the exposure and the test session. Ratings were asked one minute after the beginning of each phase of each flight.	Patients were asked to rate their current fear on a scale from 0 (no fear) to 100 (extreme fear)