title: Validation of VR-based Software for Binge Eating Treatment: Preliminary Data.
abstract: This study shows preliminary data on the validity of a new virtual reality-based application for cue-exposure treatment of binge eating in bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Thirty-eight undergraduate students without eating disorders were exposed to several virtual environments with different foods in four different contexts (kitchen, dining-room, bedroom, and bakery/café). Participants were asked to indicate the level of food craving experienced in each situation. They also completed the Spanish version of the State and Trait Food Cravings Questionnaires. The results suggest that virtual reality is an effective technology for eliciting food craving, especially in the case of participants with high reactivity to food cues, and those who were hungry or experienced strong desire to eat during the experiment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatments, Universitat de Barcelona.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrer-Garcia
authors.affiliation: Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatments, Universitat de Barcelona.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Maldonado
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agliaro-López
authors.affiliation: Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatments, Universitat de Barcelona.
authors.forename: Xantal
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lobera-Espi
authors.affiliation: Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatments, Universitat de Barcelona.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pla
authors.affiliation: Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatments, Universitat de Barcelona.
authors.forename: Ferran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vilalta-Abella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000628:therapy*; D003463:Cues; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D000076142:Virtual Reality; D055815:Young Adult