Clinician ’ S Trauma Update 2 ( 4 ) , August 2008
نویسنده
چکیده
Virtual Reality Exposure therapy for combat veterans: Virtual reality therapy (VRE) is beneficial in the treatment of anxiety disorders and some research indicates it may be helpful for the treatment of PTSD. Proponents have suggested that the ability of computer technology to simulate detailed and realistic combat situations could make it easier for newly returned soldiers to connect with their traumatic situations and to emotionally process their trauma, which is thought to be the key mechanism of action in exposure therapies. The authors of a recent paper illustrate the use of VRE with a male soldier diagnosed with PTSD due to military trauma in Iraq. A psychologist who had previous training in exposure therapy for PTSD delivered 6 90-minute sessions of VRE. Like standard exposure-based therapies, the treatment included psychoeducation and relaxation components as well as in vivo exposures. To make the virtual scene more realistic and reminiscent of the patient’s experience, the therapist created visual and audio simulations of explosions, passenger casualties, ambushes, and small arms fire. Following treatment, the patient’s score on the PTSD Checklist was reduced from 58, indicating severe symptoms, to 29, indicating mild symptoms (the lowest possible score is 17). The patient also reported a significant improvement in overall functioning. Although the paper does not discuss the complexities of treating an active duty soldier, it offers a helpful description of the theoretical rationale for how VRE could work for PTSD and explains how VRE can be applied in clinical practice.
منابع مشابه
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