Virtual reality exposure therapy using a virtual Iraq: case report.
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.
Gerardi
Maryrose
M
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Rothbaum
Barbara Olasov
BO
Ressler
Kerry
K
Heekin
Mary
M
Rizzo
Albert
A
D000328:Adult; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007171:Implosive Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data