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Virtual Reality Prolonged Exposure (PE) for Bus Bomb Survivors

NCT ID: NCT00474305

Last Updated: 2010-12-16

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

5 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2007-12-31

Study Completion Date

2011-12-31

Brief Summary

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This study will examine whether the use of a Virtual World will be effective in helping treat Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This is a pilot study, with five victims of bus bombings who have developed PTSD. The study will examine pre- and post-treatment levels of PTSD, anxiety, depression and day-to-day functioning.

Detailed Description

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PTSD can be a long-term debilitating psychiatric problem, occurring following exposure to a traumatic event. Recent studies have shown that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is effective in the treatment of PTSD. More specifically, a protocol called Prolonged Exposure, where the patient is gradually exposed to feared stimuli, along with building a narrative of the traumatic event, has been shown to reduce PTSD and depression symptoms, both at the end of therapy (9-12 weeks) and at long term follow up.

Despite this success, some patients do not show symptom reduction with this therapy. Virtual Reality, where a real-time virtual world is created, has been successfully used to treat a variety of fears, from pain management to fear of flying. This technique has also been successfully used with patients who have not benefited from Prolonged Exposure for their PTSD, following 9/11.

This study will examine the use of a virtual reality world that involves a bus bombing. It has been created using different levels of exposure to distressing detail, such that the therapist can control the amount of exposure. The protocol is based on Prolonged Exposure, with the Virtual Reality being used to help the patient build a narrative of the event.

Five patients with PTSD following a bus bombing will be treated. They will be assessed pre and post-treatment for symptoms levels of PTSD, depression, anxiety and daily functioning. The treatment consists of 9 sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. Therapy will be supervised, and protocol adherence will be checked by an external therapist. All therapists are trained as supervisors in Prolonged Exposure.

Conditions

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PTSD

Keywords

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PTSD Prolonged Exposure Virtual Reality

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Interventions

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Virtual Reality Treatment for PTSD

12 session protocol for Prolonged Exposure with Virtual Reality. All sessions 90 minutes.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* PTSD following a bus bombing
* Hebrew speaking

Exclusion Criteria

* Other psychiatric illness
* Other concurrent intervention
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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University of Haifa

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Hadassah Medical Organization

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Hadassah Medical Organization

Principal Investigators

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Sara A Freedman, PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Hadassah Medical Organization

Locations

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Hadassah Medical Organization

Jerusalem, , Israel

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Israel

Central Contacts

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Rena Cooper Kazaz, MD

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 97226777348

Hadas Lemberg, PhD

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 97226777572

Email: [email protected]

References

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Difede J, Cukor J, Patt I, Giosan C, Hoffman H. The application of virtual reality to the treatment of PTSD following the WTC attack. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006 Jul;1071:500-1. doi: 10.1196/annals.1364.052.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16891607 (View on PubMed)

Freedman SA, Hoffman HG, Garcia-Palacios A, Tamar Weiss PL, Avitzour S, Josman N. Prolonged exposure and virtual reality-enhanced imaginal exposure for PTSD following a terrorist bulldozer attack: a case study. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2010 Feb;13(1):95-101. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2009.0271.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 20528299 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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VR-PTSD-HMO-CTIL

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id