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Phobic DisordersVARESAPNCT01361074

In Vivo Versus Augmented Reality Exposure for Small Animal Phobia

A study testing In Vivo Exposure for Animal Phobia following Öst´s guidelines and Augmented Reality Exposure for Animal Phobia following Öst´s guidelines in people with Phobic Disorders, run by Universitat Jaume I at 2 sites in Spain.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The aim of this study is to explore the differential efficacy of in vivo exposure versus augmented reality exposure in the treatment of specific phobia (small animals). The hypothesis is: There will not be significant statistical differences in the efficacy of in vivo exposure therapy versus augmented reality exposure… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 years
Conditions the study is for
Phobic Disorders
What is being tested?
In Vivo Exposure for Animal Phobia following Öst´s guidelines and Augmented Reality Exposure for Animal Phobia following Öst´s guidelines
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
60 participants
Where
2 sitesSpain
Study dates
Jan 2011to Jan 2013
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Be between 18-65 years of age.
  • To meet current DSM-IV-TR criteria for specific phobia (animal type)
  • Have as the major presenting complaint anxiety in, and avoidance of, a large range of situations involving spiders or cockroaches.
  • A minimum of 1 year duration of the phobia.
  • To have scores over 4 in phobic avoidance (on a scale of 0 to 8).
  • Express a willingness to participate in the study.

Who cannot join

  • To be able to put a hand inside the container with a spider or cockroach during the behavioral test.
  • Have other psychiatric problem in immediate need of treatment.
  • Have psychotic or organic symptoms.
  • Have heart or lung disease.
  • Current alcohol or drug dependence or medication.

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

Spain2 sites
  • University Jaume I

    Castellon, Castellon, 12006

  • University Jaume I

    Castellon, Castellón, 12071

Other trials in Spain

About this study

Official title: In Vivo Versus Augmented Reality Exposure for Small Animal Phobia Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The aim of this study is to explore the differential efficacy of in vivo exposure versus augmented reality exposure in the treatment of specific phobia (small animals).

The hypothesis is: There will not be significant statistical differences in the efficacy of in vivo exposure therapy versus augmented reality exposure in the treatment of specific phobia (small animals).

Read the detailed description

Among anxiety disorders, specific phobias are highly prevalent (around 7.2% and 11.3% in the general population). Cockroach or spider phobia is a type of specific phobia, animal type. The gold standard for the treatment of specific phobia (included small animal phobia) is in vivo exposure. Most phobia sufferers (60-80%) never seek treatment. Besides, not all patients benefit from in vivo exposure, given that an important amount of them do not accept the intervention or drop out (around 25%) when they are informed about the intervention procedure.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) like Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are pioneer applications that can improve treatment adherence and acceptance. There exist some studies offering preliminary evidence of the efficacy of AR for the treatment of small animal phobia. However, there are not any controlled study exploring the differential efficacy of ICT-based exposure interventions versus in vivo exposure. In the present study the differential efficacy of AR exposure versus in vivo exposure for the treatment of small animal phobia is explored with a between subject randomized controlled trial. A pre-treatment assessment will be conducted in order to establish the diagnosis and evaluate the main outcome measures. All participants will receive an intensive exposure session following Öst guidelines, (in vivo exposure in one experimental condition and AR exposure in the other experimental condition). After the treatment a post-treatment assessment will be carried out as well as follow-up assessments at 3- and 12-month after treatment completion.

Being tested
In Vivo Exposure for Animal Phobia following Öst´s guidelines, Augmented Reality Exposure for Animal Phobia following Öst´s guidelines
Keywords
Virtual reality, Augmented reality, In vivo exposure, One session treatment, ICT, Efficacy, Specific phobia, Anxiety disorders
Medical subject headings
Phobic Disorders, Phobia, Specific, Anxiety Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • In Vivo Exposure for Animal Phobia following Öst´s guidelinesBehavioural

    Also called In vivo exposure in phobic disorders, In vivo exposure for small animal phobia

    In vivo exposure is applied using "one-session treatment" guidelines (Öst, Salkovskis and Hellström, 1991). Exposure is conducted in a single extended session lasting up to 3 hours and implemented individually. The treatment includes participant modelling, in vivo exposure, reinforced practice and cognitive challenge. Treatment in a single session is just a starting point; it is recommended that the participants continue to be exposed to the phobic situations after therapy in their daily lives in order to fully surmount their problems. Participants are informed that the treatment required close collaboration between themselves and the therapist. The exposure session is completed in a gradual and planned way.

  • Augmented Reality Exposure for Animal Phobia following Öst´s guidelinesBehavioural

    Also called Augmented Reality Exposure in phobic disorders, Augmented Reality Exposure for small animal phobia

    Augmented Reality (AR) is a variation of Virtual Reality in which the user sees the real world augmented by various virtual elements; it complements reality rather than replacing it completely (Azuma et al., 2001). The most significant aspect of AR is that the virtual elements add relevant and helpful information to the physical information available in the real world. The system includes the options of changing the number, movement and size of small animals. Preliminary data show the utility of the system for the treatment of insect phobia (Botella et al., 2005). AR exposure is applied in the same way than in vivo exposure, that is, in a gradual, planned and controlled way using "one-session treatment" guidelines (Öst, Salkovskis and Hellström, 1991). The therapist can see what the participant sees in AR on a monitor and observe the same stimuli.

Study groups in NCT01361074
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
In Vivo ExposureExperimentalNot described
Receives: Behavioral: In Vivo Exposure for Animal Phobia following Öst´s guidelines
Augmented Reality ExposureExperimentalNot described
Receives: Behavioral: Augmented Reality Exposure for Animal Phobia following Öst´s guidelines

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in Behavioral Avoidance Test (BAT, Öst, Salkovskis, and Hellström's, 1991) at pre, post intervention and 3 and 12-month follow-up periods

    The BAT assesses the severity of the subjective fear, avoidance, and belief in the catastrophic thoughts of the participants on a scale of 0 to 10 before they entered in a room with a feared insect. A container with a live cockroach or spider in it was placed 5 meters from the entrance. Participants were asked to enter the room and approach the insect as closely as possible. They were told that they could terminate the behavioral test at any point. Their performances in the test were scored, taking into account their final proximity to the insect and was converted to a behavioral score.

    Measured: At pre (baseline), post intervention and 3 and 12-month follow-up periods

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Change in Spider Phobia Beliefs Questionnaire (SPBQ; adapted from Arntz, Lavy, Van der Berg, & Van Rijsoort, 1993) at pre, post intervention and 3 and 12-month follow-up periods

    This is a self-report scale with two subscales: items 1-42 assess the strength of fearful beliefs about spiders; items 43-78 measure the strength of fearful beliefs about one's reaction to encountering spiders. Items are rated from 0 to 100. Good internal consistency for both subscales (α=.94) and acceptable test-retest reliability (r=.68 for the spider-related and r=.71 for the self-related one) have been reported. An adaptation of this questionnaire was made by our research team in order to assess fearful beliefs about cockroaches and has been used in other studies (Botella et al., 2008).

    Measured: At pre (baseline), post intervention and 3 and 12-month follow-up periods

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted26 May 2011 (estimated)
  2. Study startJan 2011
  3. Primary completionMay 2011
  4. Study completionJan 2013

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Investigator
Enrolment
60 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01361074
Sponsor's protocol ID
UJaumeI01
Acronym
VARESAP
Status last verified
Sep 2013
First submitted
26 Apr 2011
Last updated
4 Dec 2015
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Botella C, Breton-Lopez J, Quero S, Banos R, Garcia-Palacios A. Treating cockroach phobia with augmented reality. Behav Ther. 2010 Sep;41(3):401-13. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2009.07.002. Epub 2010 Mar 20.

    PubMed 20569788
  • Essau CA, Conradt J, Petermann F. Frequency, comorbidity, and psychosocial impairment of specific phobia in adolescents. J Clin Child Psychol. 2000 Jun;29(2):221-31. doi: 10.1207/S15374424jccp2902_8.

    PubMed 10802831
  • Magee WJ, Eaton WW, Wittchen HU, McGonagle KA, Kessler RC. Agoraphobia, simple phobia, and social phobia in the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1996 Feb;53(2):159-68. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1996.01830020077009.

    PubMed 8629891
  • Garcia-Palacios A, Botella C, Hoffman H, Fabregat S. Comparing acceptance and refusal rates of virtual reality exposure vs. in vivo exposure by patients with specific phobias. Cyberpsychol Behav. 2007 Oct;10(5):722-4. doi: 10.1089/cpb.2007.9962.

    PubMed 17927544
  • Garcia-Palacios A, Hoffman HG, See SK, Tsai A, Botella C. Redefining therapeutic success with virtual reality exposure therapy. Cyberpsychol Behav. 2001 Jun;4(3):341-8. doi: 10.1089/109493101300210231.

    PubMed 11710258
  • Marks IM, Mathews AM. Brief standard self-rating for phobic patients. Behav Res Ther. 1979;17(3):263-7. doi: 10.1016/0005-7967(79)90041-x. No abstract available.

    PubMed 526242
  • Botella CM, Juan MC, Banos RM, Alcaniz M, Guillen V, Rey B. Mixing realities? An application of augmented reality for the treatment of cockroach phobia. Cyberpsychol Behav. 2005 Apr;8(2):162-71. doi: 10.1089/cpb.2005.8.162.

    PubMed 15938656
  • Juan MC, Alcaniz M, Monserrat C, Botella C, Banos RM, Guerrero B. Using augmented reality to treat phobias. IEEE Comput Graph Appl. 2005 Nov-Dec;25(6):31-7. doi: 10.1109/mcg.2005.143. No abstract available.

    PubMed 16315475
  • Ost LG. One-session treatment for specific phobias. Behav Res Ther. 1989;27(1):1-7. doi: 10.1016/0005-7967(89)90113-7.

    PubMed 2914000
  • Ost LG. [One-session treatment of specific phobias--a rapid and effective method]. Lakartidningen. 1988 Mar 30;85(13):1139-42. No abstract available. Swedish.

    PubMed 3352391

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing In Vivo Exposure for Animal Phobia following Öst´s guidelines and Augmented Reality Exposure for Animal Phobia following Öst´s guidelines in people with Phobic Disorders, run by Universitat Jaume I at 2 sites in Spain.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Dec 2015. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in Spain. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in Behavioral Avoidance Test (BAT, Öst, Salkovskis, and Hellström's, 1991) at pre, post intervention and 3 and 12-month follow-up periods (time frame: At pre (baseline), post intervention and 3 and 12-month follow-up periods). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01361074, which also lists 10 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 Dec 2015.

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