Gamification in the Treatment of Spider Phobia
- Conditions
- Spider Phobia
- Interventions
- Behavioral: 7-day exposure therapy via self-developed app according to (Haberkamp et al., submitted)Behavioral: Therapist-guided one-session online exposure therapy according to (Öst, 1989)
- Registration Number
- NCT04423783
- Lead Sponsor
- Anke Haberkamp
- Brief Summary
Mobile applications are more and more considered when implementing programs for treating mental disorders. The study aims to reduce avoidance and fear of spiders in spider-fearful individuals by combining exposure principles with gamification elements (e.g. narrative background, level progression, points, feedback). We investigate the efficacy of the gamified app in a remote online-therapy context.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 90
Participants must
- be 18 years or older,
- SPQ score ≥ 14
- BDI-II score ≤ 18
Participants will be deemed ineligible if they do not meet the above inclusion criteria or
- are allergic to spiders or bee stings,
- are currently undergoing psychotherapeutic and/or psychopharmacological treatments,
- are experiencing current psychosis, mania, or substance abuse, or
- successfully complete 8 or more of 12 possible BAT steps at baseline (to ensure that participants are indeed spider fearful)
- are at higher risk from Covid-19 or
- participated in a pilot study in 2019.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Spider gamification app 7-day exposure therapy via self-developed app according to (Haberkamp et al., submitted) Participants play the spider gamification app twice a day for 7 days Online exposure + non-spider gamification app Therapist-guided one-session online exposure therapy according to (Öst, 1989) Participants receive a therapist-guided one-session online exposure therapy and play a non-spider gamification app twice a day for 7 days Online exposure + spider gamification app 7-day exposure therapy via self-developed app according to (Haberkamp et al., submitted) Participants receive a therapist-guided one-session online exposure therapy and play the spider gamification app twice a day for 7 days Online exposure + spider gamification app Therapist-guided one-session online exposure therapy according to (Öst, 1989) Participants receive a therapist-guided one-session online exposure therapy and play the spider gamification app twice a day for 7 days
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in avoidance behavior (Behavioral Approach Task; BAT) Baseline; (after one-session exposure if applied); Post-treatment (1-week after baseline); 3-week follow-up (4-weeks after baseline) Scores range from 0 ("participant refuses to enter the room with spider") to 12 ("participant holds the spider at least for 20 sec").
Change in spider fear (Spider Phobia Questionnaire; SPQ) Baseline; Post-treatment (1-week after baseline); 3-week follow-up (4-weeks after baseline) The scale ranges from 0-31. High scores reflect high subjective levels and low scores low subjective levels of spider fear.
Change in spider fear: Spider-Anxiety Questionnaire (FAS) Baseline; Post-treatment (1-week after baseline); 3-week follow-up (4-weeks after baseline) The scale ranges from 0-108. High scores reflect high subjective levels and low scores low subjective levels of spider fear.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in disgust before and after playing the app Before starting and immediately after completing the game Seven-point rating scale scoring from 0 to 6: high scores reflect high levels and low scores low levels of experienced disgust; participants play twice a day (between 8 - 11 am and 4 - 7 pm); ratings are part of the app
Change in arousal before and after playing the app Before starting and immediately after completing the game Seven-point rating scale scoring from 0 to 6: high scores reflect high levels and low scores low levels of experienced arousal; participants play twice a day (between 8 - 11 am and 4 - 7 pm); ratings are part of the app
Change in anxiety before and after playing the app Before starting and immediately after completing the game Seven-point rating scale scoring from 0 to 6: high scores reflect high levels and low scores low levels of experienced anxiety; participants play twice a day (between 8 - 11 am and 4 - 7 pm); ratings are part of the app
Trial Locations
- Locations (2)
Philipps University Marburg
🇩🇪Marburg, Germany
Philipps-University Marburg Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
🇩🇪Marburg, Germany