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Virtual reality exposure therapy using a virtual Iraq: Case report
Author(s) -
Gerardi Maryrose,
Rothbaum Barbara Olasov,
Ressler Kerry,
Heekin Mary,
Rizzo Albert
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20331
Subject(s) - exposure therapy , posttraumatic stress , virtual reality exposure therapy , vigilance (psychology) , intervention (counseling) , virtual reality , affect (linguistics) , psychiatry , medicine , clinical psychology , psychology , anxiety , communication , neuroscience , artificial intelligence , computer science
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been estimated to affect up to 18% of returning Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans. Soldiers need to maintain constant vigilance to deal with unpredictable threats, and an unprecedented number of soldiers are surviving serious wounds. These risk factors are significant for development of PTSD; therefore, early and efficient intervention options must be identified and presented in a form acceptable to military personnel. This case report presents the results of treatment utilizing virtual reality exposure (VRE) therapy (virtual Iraq) to treat an OIF veteran with PTSD. Following brief VRE treatment, the veteran demonstrated improvement in PTSD symptoms as indicated by clinically and statistically significant changes in scores on the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS; Blake et al., 1990) and the PTSD Symptom Scale Self‐Report (PSS‐SR; Foa, Riggs, Dancu, & Rothbaum, 1993). These results indicate preliminary promise for this treatment.