A Pre Experimental Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Virtual Reality
Therapy upon Anger among Alcoholic Clients at Selected De-Addiction Center,
Chennai.
Objectives of the Study :
1. To assess the level of anger among alcoholic clients before and after Virtual reality therapy.
2. To evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality therapy by comparing the level of anger among alcoholic clients before and after virtual reality therapy.
3. To determine the level of satisfaction on virtual reality therapy among alcoholic clients.
4. To find out the association between selected demographic variables and the level of anger among alcoholic clients before and after virtual reality therapy.
5. To find out the association between selected clinical variables and the level of anger among alcoholic clients before and after virtual reality therapy.
The conceptual framework of the study was based on Hildegard E Peplau which was modified for the present study. Null hypothesis were formulated. The level of significance selected was P<0.05. The research design used in this study
was pre - experimental research design. A one group pre-test, post-test design, which is pre experimental in nature, is adopted for conducting the study. An extensive review of literature and guidance by experts formed the foundation to
the development of research tools such as Demographic variables proforma, Clinical variables Proforma, Clinical anger scale and Rating Scale on the level of satisfaction about Virtual reality therapy. The content validity was established by submitting the tools to experts and reliability was obtained through test-retest and
split half technique and found to be highly reliable. The main study was conducted after the pilot study.
The study was carried out upon 30 alcoholic clients, Serene Life Deaddiction center Madhurvoyal, Chennai. The level of anger was assessed before and after virtual reality therapy using Clinical anger scale in the group of alcoholic
clients. Virtual reality therapy was administered every day morning 5 – 7 minutes for the period of one week for each alcoholic client. After one week, the level of anger was assessed by using Clinical anger scale among the alcoholic clients.
Then the level of satisfaction on virtual reality therapy was also assessed by using satisfactory rating scale. The data obtained were analyzed using Descriptive and
Inferential statistics.
Major findings of the study :
A Significant percentage of the alcoholic clients were aged upto 30 years (46.66%) with mean age of 32.9 years and had a family history of alcohol abuse/ dependence (33.33%), were involved in business (36.66%) and had no children (43.33%), were graduates (33.33%).
• All of the alcoholic clients were from urban background and from nuclear family (100%) and majority of them were Hindus (86.66%) with monthly family income of Rs. 5001- 10,000 (60%). More than half of them were married (56.66%).
• Majority of the alcoholic clients started consuming alcohol at the age of 16-25 years (63.33%) with mean age of 22.5 years, had a previous history of alcoholics de-addiction treatment (66.66%) and made an effort to quit alcohol (76.66%) and the form of alcohol used was beer (73.33%), psychosocial problems of alcoholic clients was conflicts in relationship (66.66%).
• More than half of them had excited feeling at first intake of alcohol (59%) and the precipitating factor of consuming alcohol was family problem (53.33%).
• Half of the alcoholic clients had wish to improve oneself in motivation to seek treatment (50%) and had >5 years duration of alcohol dependence (50%).
• A significant percentage of the alcoholic clients consumed the amount of alcohol was more than 720 ml in a day (43.33%) and the form of alcohol used was brandy (23.33%), rum (1.33%) and frequency of alcohol consumption (30%).
• A significant percentage of the alcoholic clients had moderate level of anger (36.66%) in pretest. However after administration of Virtual reality therapy
more than half of them had mild level of anger (56.66%).
• The anger score of alcoholic clients were high in pretest (M = 29.16, SD = 7.8) whereas after virtual reality therapy, it was found to be less (M =17.3, SD=4.50). The difference was statistically proven to be highly significant at
P<0.001. Thus the null hypothesis Ho1 was rejected. It can be attributed to the effectiveness of virtual reality therapy on reducing anger.
• There was no significant association between the level of anger and the selected demographic and clinical variables among alcoholic clients. Hence, the null hypothesis Ho2 and Ho3 was retained. Lack of association in this
study may be due to small sample.
• The researcher found that all of the alcoholic clients were highly satisfied (100%) regarding the intervention of virtual reality therapy. These findings indicated that the administration of virtual reality therapy is well accepted by all the alcoholic clients.
This study demonstrated that virtual reality therapy will help to reduce the level of anger among alcoholic clients.
Recommendations :
The study can be conducted on a larger sample to generalize the results.
• The study can be conducted in the other settings also like psychiatric hospitals and rehabilitation centers.
• Longitudinal study can be conducted for long term effects of virtual reality on anger.
• A comparative study can be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality therapy and with other psychosocial intervention to reduce the level of anger among alcoholic clients.
• The study can be conducted among different groups like adolescents, mentally ill patients, teenagers who abuse other substances, family members of alcoholic clients.
• A follow up study can be conducted to assess the effectiveness of the present intervention in reducing the relapse rates of alcoholic clients.
• A study can be conducted on quality of life among alcoholic clients
