Dual-tasking during recall of negative memories or during visual perception of images: Effects on vividness and emotionality. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cuperus, Anne A.; Laken, Maarten; van Schie, Kevin; Engelhard, Iris M.; van den Hout, Marcel A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry. Volume 62(2019)
• Page Start: 112
• Page End: 116
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Virtual reality exposure -- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing -- Virtual reality paradigm; Behavior therapy -- Periodicals; 616.89142
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2018.10.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0005-7916

Abstract

Abstract: Background and objectives: Several treatments are effective in reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. We tested the effectiveness of an experimental intervention that consists of elements from two of these: virtual reality (VR) exposure therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. The latter is characterized by a dual-task approach: the patient holds a traumatic memory in mind while simultaneously making voluntary eye movements, resulting in reduced vividness and emotionality of the traumatic memory. If the experimental intervention is effective, it could provide a useful approach for highly avoidant individuals. Methods: Participants recalled negative memories induced by a VR paradigm. The experimental group viewed VR screenshots that represented these negative memories while carrying out a dual-task. One control group recalled negative memories while carrying out the same dual-task (a standard dual-task condition) and another merely viewed the VR screenshots. Pre-to-post changes in self-rated memory vividness/emotionality were measured. Results: The results indicate that viewing a screenshot only was outperformed by both dual-task interventions in terms of reductions in vividness/emotionality. Furthermore, the dual-task interventions had a comparable impact on vividness, but the screenshot variant led to greater decreases in emotionality. Limitations: Changes in memory vividness/emotionality were only assessed shortly after the interventions and no measures of avoidance behavior were included in the study. Conclusions: Looking at an image in VR that represents a memory while carrying out a dual-task may be at least as effective as recalling the memory during the dual-task. Interestingly, visually supporting a negative memory does not seem to prevent memory degrading by dual-tasking. Highlights: Healthy participants recalled negative memories induced by a virtual reality game. An experimental intervention consisted of viewing game images while dual-tasking. Changes in memory vividness and emotionality were measured. Viewing an image while dual-tasking was as effective as recall plus dual-tasking.