Virtual reality based experiential cognitive treatment of anorexia nervosa.
The treatment of a 22-year old female university student diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa is described. In the study the Experiential Cognitive Therapy (ECT) was used: a relatively short-term, integrated, patient oriented approach that focuses on individual discovery. Main characteristic of this approach is the use of Virtual Reality, a new technology that allows the user to be immersed in a computer-generated virtual world. At the end of the in-patient treatment, the subject increased her bodily awareness joined to a reduction in her level of body dissatisfaction. Moreover, the patient presented a high degree of motivation to change. The results are discussed with regard to Vitousek, Watson and Wilson (1998, Clinical Psychology Review, 18(4), 391-420) proposal of using the Socratic Method to face denial and resistance of anorectic patients.
Riva
G
G
Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab., Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Verbania, Italy. auxo.psylab@auxologico.it
Bacchetta
M
M
Baruffi
M
M
Rinaldi
S
S
Molinari
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001828:Body Image; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008838:Microcomputers; D009042:Motivation; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted; D014584:User-Computer Interface