NCT00734370

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy in Agoraphobic Participants

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 55 (actual)
• Sponsor: VU University of Amsterdam · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) is an effective treatment for anxiety disorders, particularly for specific phobias as fear of heights and fear of flying (e.g. Powers \& Emmelkamp, 2008). Recent technological advances (e.g. more realistic avatars) make research into the efficacy of VRET for participants with elevated agoraphobic symptoms desirable. Therefore, the aim of the present research proposal is to investigate the comparative efficacy of: 1. enhanced VRET making use of the latest avatar technology with 2. exposure in vivo in agoraphobic participants 3. wait-list control.

Conditions

• Panic Disorder
• Agoraphobia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for agoraphobic participants	This intervention is comprised of 10 sessions of cognitive behavior therapy for panic disorder and agoraphobia with components of * Psycho-education, breathing training and cognitive restructuring * Virtual reality Exposure to agoraphobic situations and interoceptive exposure * Relapse prevention
BEHAVIORAL	Standard exposure in vivo for agoraphobic participants	This intervention is comprised of 10 sessions of cognitive behavior therapy for panic disorder and agoraphobia with components of * Psycho-education, breathing training and cognitive restructuring * Standard exposure in vivo to agoraphobic situations and interoceptive exposure * Relapse prevention (according to the protocol of Craske \& Barlow)

Timeline

• Start date: 2008-10-01
• Primary completion: 2011-06-01
• Completion: 2012-01-01
• First posted: 2008-08-14
• Last updated: 2018-09-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Netherlands