EMDR in Spider Phobia: Work Mechanisms and Treatment Outcome
NCT ID: NCT02973919
Last Updated: 2016-11-28
Study Results
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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COMPLETED
NA
53 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2015-07-31
2016-09-30
Brief Summary
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Based on the EMDR research the investigators would like to show that the implementation of eye movements during the VR exposure results in a faster physiological relaxation response among probands with spider phobia, which has a positive effect on the subjective and behavioral efficacy of the VR exposure.
Detailed Description
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In the experimental group a ball appears during the exposure, that moves horizontally across the room. The probands are supposed to follow this movement with their eyes.
EDA, EKG and respiration are being recorded. Furthermore the subjective and behavioral spider phobia is measured before, during and after the exposure to determine occurring changes.
Conditions
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
TREATMENT
NONE
Study Groups
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Eye movements
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy + virtual reality exposure therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy
In 1989, Shapiro discovered that while talking about negative life events or thoughts, rhythmic eye movements on a horizontal axis can alleviate the associated vividness and burden (Shapiro, 1989). She established the psychodynamic-behavioral Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, which includes the induction of rhythmic eye movements as a central feature. EMDR is regarded as an efficient treatment tool. Several times it has also been successfully applied in the field of specific phobias (de Jongh, ten Broeke, \& Renssen, 1999; de Jongh, Holmshaw, Carswell, \& van Wijk, 2011; Lapsekili \& Yelboga, 2014; Muris, Merckelbach, van Haaften, \& Mayer, 1997) and there is a standard protocol for using EMDR on specific fears and phobias (de Jongh, 2015).
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
Exposure to fear-evoking stimuli is conducted more often in virtual environments using simulators or similar computer-technologies (Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy, VRET). One great advantage of using VR-technologies is that it is possible to create an environment which is highly controllable by its creators. Feared stimuli or scenarios can be varied on individual purposes and presented several times. This facili- tates the practice of exposure-based treatments especially for situations or places diffi- cult to access or requiring a considerable amount of time and/or money (e.g. being in war zones or a passenger on a flight), where in vivo exposures have often not been con- ducted or only in a limited manner (Mühlberger \& Pauli, 2011).
Control
virtual reality exposure therapy
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
Exposure to fear-evoking stimuli is conducted more often in virtual environments using simulators or similar computer-technologies (Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy, VRET). One great advantage of using VR-technologies is that it is possible to create an environment which is highly controllable by its creators. Feared stimuli or scenarios can be varied on individual purposes and presented several times. This facili- tates the practice of exposure-based treatments especially for situations or places diffi- cult to access or requiring a considerable amount of time and/or money (e.g. being in war zones or a passenger on a flight), where in vivo exposures have often not been con- ducted or only in a limited manner (Mühlberger \& Pauli, 2011).
Interventions
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy
In 1989, Shapiro discovered that while talking about negative life events or thoughts, rhythmic eye movements on a horizontal axis can alleviate the associated vividness and burden (Shapiro, 1989). She established the psychodynamic-behavioral Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, which includes the induction of rhythmic eye movements as a central feature. EMDR is regarded as an efficient treatment tool. Several times it has also been successfully applied in the field of specific phobias (de Jongh, ten Broeke, \& Renssen, 1999; de Jongh, Holmshaw, Carswell, \& van Wijk, 2011; Lapsekili \& Yelboga, 2014; Muris, Merckelbach, van Haaften, \& Mayer, 1997) and there is a standard protocol for using EMDR on specific fears and phobias (de Jongh, 2015).
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
Exposure to fear-evoking stimuli is conducted more often in virtual environments using simulators or similar computer-technologies (Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy, VRET). One great advantage of using VR-technologies is that it is possible to create an environment which is highly controllable by its creators. Feared stimuli or scenarios can be varied on individual purposes and presented several times. This facili- tates the practice of exposure-based treatments especially for situations or places diffi- cult to access or requiring a considerable amount of time and/or money (e.g. being in war zones or a passenger on a flight), where in vivo exposures have often not been con- ducted or only in a limited manner (Mühlberger \& Pauli, 2011).
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
* current psychopharmacological medication
* current involvement in psychiatric- or psychotherapeutic treatment
* cardiovascular or neurological diseases
* color blindness
* hearing disorders
18 Years
55 Years
FEMALE
No
Sponsors
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University of Regensburg
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Shiban Youssef
Phd
Other Identifiers
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URegensburg
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id