Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy in Agoraphobic Participants

VU University of Amsterdam

Status: Completed

Conditions: Panic Disorder; Agoraphobia

Treatments: Behavioral: Standard exposure in vivo for agoraphobic participants; Behavioral: Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for agoraphobic participants

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00734370

KP-2008-518

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Enrollment: 55 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• A full diagnosis of panic disorder with agoraphobia according to the DSM-IV
• Between the ages of 18-65 years
• Sufficient fluency in Dutch to complete treatment and research protocol

Exclusion criteria

• Presence of medical condition, assessed by self-report questionnaires at the intake (i.e., pregnancy, seizure disorder, pacemaker)
• Current use of Beta-blockers
• Current use of tranquilizers (Benzodiazepines)
• Unstable psychotropic medication
• Substance dependence
• Psychosis
• Depression with suicidal ideation
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
• Dementia or other severe cognitive impairment
• Bipolar Disorder
• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Anti-social Personality Disorder

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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55 participants in 3 patient groups

VRET

Experimental group

Description:

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for agoraphobic participants

Treatment:

Behavioral: Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for agoraphobic participants

Exposure in vivo

Active Comparator group

Description:

Standard exposure in vivo for panic disorder

Treatment:

Behavioral: Standard exposure in vivo for agoraphobic participants

Wait-list control

No Intervention group

Description:

Wait-list control group. Participants from this arm are randomized to the two active conditions after 10 weeks of waiting.