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Effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy for active duty soldiers in a military mental health clinic
Author(s) -
Reger Greg M.,
Holloway Kevin M.,
Candy Colette,
Rothbaum Barbara O.,
Difede JoAnn,
Rizzo Albert A.,
Gahm Gregory A.
Publication year - 2011
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.20574
Subject(s) - active duty , military personnel , medicine , checklist , psychiatry , population , military medicine , military service , posttraumatic stress , service member , duty , military deployment , mental health , physical therapy , clinical psychology , psychology , environmental health , archaeology , political science , law , cognitive psychology , history , philosophy , theology
Exposure therapy is an evidence‐based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but research evaluating its effectiveness with active duty service members is limited. This report examines the effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) for active duty soldiers ( N = 24) seeking treatment following a deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. Relative to their pretreatment self‐reported symptoms on the PTSD Checklist, Military Version ( M = 60.92; SD = 11.03), patients reported a significant reduction at posttreatment ( M = 47.08; SD = 12.70; p < .001). Sixty‐two percent of patients ( n = 15) reported a reliable change of 11 points or more. This study supports the effectiveness of exposure therapy for active duty soldiers and extends previous research on VRE to this population.