Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy and Military Personnel with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review. (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Singh, Simar; Nathan-Roberts, Dan
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society ... Annual Meeting. Volume 63:Part 1(2019)
• Page Start: 1378
• Page End: 1383
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: Human engineering -- Congresses; 620.8205
• DOI: 10.1177/1071181319631178
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1541-9312

Abstract

This systematic review determines the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) therapy for veterans and active service members with combat related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and identifies common themes among studies utilizing VR. A total of 222 articles were initially considered for this systematic review, and the inclusion and exclusion criteria left 14 articles to be analyzed. A statistically significant or clinically significant reduction in PTSD scores was reported in 64% of the articles after the use of a VR-based therapy. However, no articles provided evidence for VR therapy being statistically better than other forms of therapy in treating PTSD. VR exposure therapy was used in 71% of the studies, making it the most commonly used form of VR therapy, followed by VR graded exposure therapy at 21% and VRET-arousal control at 7%. Limitations and future studies are also discussed.