A Virtual Reality Study of Cognitive Biases in Body Dysmorphic Disorder

NCT ID: NCT03773549

Last Updated: 2019-09-26

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 58 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2019-03-01
• Study Completion Date: 2019-09-20

Brief Summary

Previous research shows that individuals with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) misinterpret ambiguous social information in a negative and threatening manner. These erroneous threat appraisals are thought to maintain disorder symptomatology and psychosocial impairment by reinforcing individuals' distorted self-image and ideas of social undesirability. Thus, maladaptive interpretation biases represent an important treatment target for this population; however, existing bias assessments and modification protocols are limited by the hypothetical and distal nature of scenarios and do not capture momentary experiential threat processes. The proposed study seeks to test virtual reality (VR) technology as a novel, in vivo means of eliciting, identifying, and measuring threat interpretation biases in a clinical sample to better understand the fear/threat structure activated during social interactions in BDD. Findings have the potential to enhance our understanding of disorder maintenance and identify more nuanced treatment targets. This study represents a critical first step in the long-term goal of harnessing VR gaming technology to supercharge existing treatment approaches for this debilitating illness.

Conditions

Body Dysmorphic Disorders; Healthy

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: CASE_CONTROL
• Study Time Perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL

Study Groups

Body dysmorphic disorder

Meet DSM-5 criteria for principal body dysmorphic disorder, assessed via the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-V Axis I Disorders (SCID)

Virtual reality experience

Intervention Type: OTHER

Expose all participants (healthy and control) to virtual reality videos while collecting reactivity and self-report outcome measures.

Healthy control

Individuals who do not have a current psychiatric diagnosis, assessed via the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI)

Virtual reality experience

Intervention Type: OTHER

Expose all participants (healthy and control) to virtual reality videos while collecting reactivity and self-report outcome measures.

Interventions

Virtual reality experience

Expose all participants (healthy and control) to virtual reality videos while collecting reactivity and self-report outcome measures.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 18+,
• Fluent in English,
• Meet DSM-5 criteria for principal BDD (BDD group) or no other current psychiatric diagnosis (HC group; assessed via clinical interview).

Exclusion Criteria

• Lifetime psychosis; current bipolar disorder in acute or hypomanic episode; current severe substance use disorder; acute, active suicidal ideation
• Intellectual disability or cognitive impairment that would interfere with participation

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Massachusetts General Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Sabine Wilhelm, PhD

Chief of Psychology

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Sabine Wilhelm, Ph.D

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Massachusetts General Hospital

Locations

Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

2018P001894

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id