Using virtual reality to improve the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in the treatment of late-life anxiety: preliminary recommendations for future research.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) using traditional exposure techniques (i.e. imaginal and in vivo) seems less effective to treat anxiety in older adults than in younger ones. This is particularly true when imaginal exposure is used to confront the older patient to inaccessible (e.g. fear of flying) or less tangible/controllable anxiety triggers (e.g. fear of illness). Indeed, imaginal exposure may become less effective as the person gets older since normal aging is characterized by the decline in cognitive functions involved in the creation of vivid/detailed mental images. One way to circumvent this difficulty is to expose the older patient to a virtual environment that does not require the ability to imagine the frightening situation. In virtuo exposure has proven to be efficient to treat anxiety in working-age people. In virtuo exposure could be employed to improve the efficacy of CBT with exposure sessions in the treatment of late-life anxiety? The current paper explores this question and suggests new research avenues.
Centre de recherche,Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM),Montreal (Quebec),Canada.
Sébastien
S
Grenier
Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO),Gatineau (Quebec),Canada.
Hélène
H
Forget
Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO),Gatineau (Quebec),Canada.
Stéphane
S
Bouchard
Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO),Gatineau (Quebec),Canada.
Sébastien
S
Isere
Centre de recherche,Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM),Montreal (Quebec),Canada.
Sylvie
S
Belleville
Centre de recherche,Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec,Quebec (Quebec),Canada.
Olivier
O
Potvin
Université de Montréal,Montreal (Quebec),Canada.
Marie-Ève
MÈ
Rioux
Université de Montréal,Montreal (Quebec),Canada.
Mélissa
M
Talbot
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003071:Cognition; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D012106:Research / Q000639:trends; D063367:Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy / Q000379:methods*
anxiety; cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT); in virtuo exposure; older adults; virtual reality (VR)