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EMDR in Spider Phobia: Work Mechanisms and Treatment Outcome

NCT02973919 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 53

Last updated 2016-11-28

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The goal of this study is to increase the efficiency of exposure in virtual reality (VR).

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.

Conditions

  • Spider Phobia

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

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).

BEHAVIORAL

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).

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Regensburg

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
55 Years
Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2015-07-31
Primary Completion
2015-12-31
Completion
2016-09-30

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT02973919 on ClinicalTrials.gov