Development Of A Virtual Environment Based On The Perceived Characteristics Of Pain In Patients With Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disorder characterized by chronic phys ical pain.The perception of this pain has psychological effects on mood, anxiety, and the degree of perceived control. In turn, these factors may increase the experience of pain. This study aims to develop a new virtual environment for the treatment of FM in order to enhance the therapeutic effects of traditional interventions. The first phase included a sample of 19 patients in order to identify common characteristics of the representation of pain and absence of pain, through drawing. The results showed that patients used different colors and different physical states to depict pain (red, motionless) and the absence of pain (blue, in motion). These features were then included in a 3D representation of the human body. ANOVA analysis showed that the degree of anxiety and depression influenced the perceived characteristic of movement

Cue-exposure software for the treatment of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder

Background: Cue-exposure therapy (CET) has proven its effi cacy in treating patients with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder who are resistant to standard treatment. Furthermore, incorporating virtual reality (VR) technology is increasingly considered a valid exposure method that may help to increase the effi cacy of standard treatments in a variety of eating disorders. Although immersive displays improve the benefi cial effects, expensive technology is not always necessary. Method: We aimed to assess whether exposure to food related virtual environments could decrease food craving in a non-clinical sample. In addition, we specifi cally compared the effects of two VR systems (one non-immersive and one immersive) during CET. We therefore applied a one-session CET to 113 undergraduate students. Results: Decreased food craving was found during exposure to both VR environments compared with pre-treatment levels, supporting the effi cacy of VR-CET in reducing food craving. We found no signifi cant differences in craving between immersive and non-immersive systems. Conclusions: Low-cost non-immersive systems applied through 3D laptops can improve the accessibility of this technique. By reducing the costs and improving the usability, VR-CET on 3D laptops may become a viable option that can be readily applied in a greater range of clinical contexts

Cue-elicited anxiety and craving for food using virtual reality scenarios

Cue exposure therapy has been reported to be an effective intervention for reducing binge eating behavior in patients with eating disorders and obesity. However, in vivo food exposure conducted in the therapist's office presents logistical problems and lacks ecological validity. This study proposes the use of virtual reality technology as an alternative to in vivo exposure, and assesses the ability of different virtual environments to elicit anxiety and craving for food in a non-clinical sample. The results show that exposure to virtual environments provokes changes in reported craving for food. High-calorie food cues are the ones that elicit the highest increases in craving

Virtual humans and formative assessment to train diagnostic skills in bulimia nervosa

Carrying out a diagnostic interview requires skills that need to be taught in a controlled environment. Virtual Reality (VR) environments are increasingly used in the training of professionals, as they offer the most realistic alternative while not requiring students to face situations for which they are yet unprepared. The results of the training of diagnostic skills can also be generalized to any other situation in which effective communication skills play a major role. Our aim with this study has been to develop a procedure of formative assessment in order to increment the effectiveness of virtual learning simulation systems and then to assess their efficacy

Inducción de craving por comida mediante realidad virtual no inmersiva

The binge behavior has been associated with elevated levels of food craving. Cue exposure therapy has been proposed as an effective treatment for binge behavior, facilitating the extinction of the association between the stimuli associated with binge eating and the craving response. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether exposure to food in virtual environments can produce craving levels consistent with individual differences in trait-craving and state-craving, such that they can be used in treatment programs based on cue exposure. The participants were exposed to 10 foods in four virtual environments using non immersive devices. Consistent with the predictions, individuals who had higher levels of trait-craving and state-craving showed a greater desire to eat during exposure to different virtual environments. These results are indicative of the validity of procedures based on food exposure in virtual environments to carry out interventions based on cue exposure techniquesLa terapia de exposición a señales se ha propuesto como un tratamiento eficaz para las conductas de atracón al propiciar la extinción de la asociación entre los estímulos relacionados con la ingesta compulsiva y la respuesta de craving. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar si la exposición a alimentos en entornos de realidad virtual (RV) es capaz de producir niveles de craving consistentes con diferencias individuales en craving-rasgo y craving-estado, de manera que puedan ser utilizados en programas de tratamiento basados en exposición a señales. Los participantes fueron expuestos a 10 alimentos en cuatro entornos virtuales. Las personas que presentaban mayores niveles de craving-rasgo y cravig-estado mostraron mayores deseos de comer durante la exposición a los entornos virtuales. Estos resultados constituyen un indicador de validez del uso de procedimientos basados en la exposición virtual a comida para llevar a cabo intervenciones basadas en técnicas de exposición a señales

Development of a VR application for binge eating treatment: identification of contexts and cues related to bingeing behavior in spanish italian patients

The objective of this study was to identify frequent situations and specific cues that produce the craving to binge in Spanish and Italian samples of patients with eating disorders (ED). There were two main aims: to assess transcultural differences in the contexts and cues that elicit food craving; and to develop valid, reliable VR environments for effective cue-exposure therapy (CET) for patients from both countries. Twenty-six Spanish and 75 Italian ED patients completed an ad hoc questionnaire to assess contexts and cues that trigger the craving to binge. No differences between groups were found. All patients reported experiencing higher levels of craving in the afternoon/early evening and in the late evening/night, between meals, when alone, and more frequently at the end of the week. Being in the dining room, the kitchen, the bedroom, the bakery and the supermarket were the specific situations that produced the highest levels of craving to binge. We used the questionnaire results to develop a virtual reality application for CET

External eating as a predictor of cue-reactivity to food-related virtual environments

The objective of this study was to assess the association between external eating style and food craving experienced during exposure to food cues in virtual reality (VR) environments in both clinical and non-clinical samples. According to the externality theory, people with external eating experience higher reactivity when exposed to food cues, which in turn increases the probability of overeating. Forty patients with eating disorders (23 with bulimia nervosa and 17 with binge eating disorder) and 78 undergraduate students were exposed to 10 different food cues in four VR environments (kitchen, dining room, bedroom, and café). After 30 seconds of exposure to each VR environment, food craving was assessed using a visual analog scale. External, emotional and restrictive eating styles were also assessed using the DEBQ. The results showed a strong association between external eating and cue-elicited food craving. After controlling for the presence of eating disorder diagnosis, external eating was the best predictor of reported food craving. The results lend support to the externality theory but highlight the need for further research in specific patterns of functioning in patients with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder

Eating behavior style predicts craving and anxiety experienced in food-related virtual environments by patients with eating disorders and healthy controls

Eating behavior style (emotional, restrictive, or external) has been proposed as an explanation for the differences in response to food-related cues between people who overeat and those who do not, and has been also considered a target for the treatment of eating disorders (EDs) characterized by lack of control over eating and weightrelated (overweight/obesity) conditions. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between eating behavior style and psychophysiological responses (self-reported food craving and anxiety) to food-related virtual reality (VR) environments in outpatients with bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED) and to compare them with healthy participants. Fifty-eight outpatients and 135 healthy participants were exposed to palatable foods in four experimental everyday real-life VR environments (kitchen, dining room, bedroom and café). During exposure, cue-elicited food craving and anxiety were assessed. Participants also completed standardized instruments for the study purposes. ED patients reported significantly higher levels of craving and anxiety when exposed to the virtual food than healthy controls. Eating behavior styles showed strong associations with cue-elicited food craving and anxiety. In the healthy group, external eating was the only predictor of cue-elicited craving and anxiety. In participants with BN and BED, external and emotional eating were the best predictors of cue-elicited craving and anxiety, respectively

Psicothema

Resumen tomado de la publicaciónPrograma de exposición a señales para el tratamiento de la bulimia nerviosa y del trastorno por atracón. Antecedentes: la terapia de exposición a señales (TES) se ha mostrado eficaz en el tratamiento de pacientes con bulimia nerviosa y trastorno por atracón. Por otra parte, la incorporación de tecnologías de realidad virtual (RV) se considera cada vez más un método de exposición válido que puede ayudar a aumentar la eficacia de los tratamientos. Aunque los dispositivos inmersivos mejoran los efectos beneficiosos, no siempre es necesario el uso de tecnología costosa. Método: el objetivo de este estudio es evaluar si la exposición a entornos virtuales relacionados con la comida puede disminuir el deseo de comer en una muestra no clínica. Además, se comparan los efectos de dos sistemas (uno no inmersivo y otro inmersivo) durante la TES. Se aplicó un modelo de TES en una única sesión a 113 participantes. Resultados: los resultados indicaron una disminución del deseo de comer como efecto de la exposición. No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los dos sistemas. Conclusiones: los resultados sugieren que con sistemas de bajo coste y alta facilidad de uso, la TES mediante RV puede llegar a ser una opción aplicable en un mayor rango de contextos clínicos.Universidad de Oviedo. Biblioteca de Psicología; Plaza Feijoo, s/n.; 33003 Oviedo; Tel. +34985104146; Fax +34985104126; [email protected]

Cue-elicited anxiety and craving for food using virtual reality scenarios

Cue exposure therapy has been reported to be an effective intervention for reducing binge eating behavior in patients with eating disorders and obesity. However, in vivo food exposure conducted in the therapist's office presents logistical problems and lacks ecological validity. This study proposes the use of virtual reality technology as an alternative to in vivo exposure, and assesses the ability of different virtual environments to elicit anxiety and craving for food in a non-clinical sample. The results show that exposure to virtual environments provokes changes in reported craving for food. High-calorie food cues are the ones that elicit the highest increases in craving