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Faculty of Medical Sciences

Een randomized controlled trial naar het effect van virtual reality ontspanningstherapie (VRelax) op angst, stress en psychosociaal functioneren bij mensen met een psychotische aandoening. A randomized controlled trial about the effects of virtual reality relaxationtherapy (VRelax) on anxiety, stress and psychosocial functioning in people with a psychotic disorder.

Bruinenberg, Timo (2020) Een randomized controlled trial naar het effect van virtual reality ontspanningstherapie (VRelax) op angst, stress en psychosociaal functioneren bij mensen met een psychotische aandoening. A randomized controlled trial about the effects of virtual reality relaxationtherapy (VRelax) on anxiety, stress and psychosocial functioning in people with a psychotic disorder. thesis, Medicine.

Full text available on request.

Abstract

Background. People with a psychotic disorder often suffer from anxiety and stress. Moreover, these symptoms have been associated with a decreased level of daily social functioning. Existing literature has already provided support for the effectiveness of relaxation-exercises, coping training and virtual reality (VR)-guided relaxation in reducing stress and anxiety. This study researched the effectiveness of VRelax, a combination of relaxation-exercises, coping training and supportive VR-imagery. Based on existing literature, VRelax was expected to improve anxiety, stress and psychosocial functioning. Method. 75 participants with a psychotic disorder were randomly assigned to either VRelax or an active control condition, DiSCoVR (VR social cognition training). Both treatments consisted of 16 sessions that occurred during approximately 8 weeks. Anxiety and stress were measured using self-report questionnaires, the Beck Anxiety Index and Perceived Stress Scale, respectively. A semistructured interview was used to quantify the level of social functioning, the Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP). The data of 47 participants were included in the statistical analysis. Repeated measures ANOVA’s were used to detect changes in outcome measures over time and differences between groups. For the assessment whether relationships existed between anxiety, stress and functioning, regression- and mediation models were employed. Results. No significant results were found for anxiety and stress. For functioning a significant interaction-effect between time and group was found (F(2,90)=3.445, p=0.039). This resulted from a significant decrease in PSP of the controlgroup between baseline en post-treatment measurement (Δ-7.545, p=0.005). Regression-analyses did not show any significant relationship between the extends of change in anxiety, stress and functioning. Conclusion. The study did not provide evidence for the efficacy of VRelax in improving anxiety, stress and social functioning in people with a psychotic disorder. Additionally, changes in anxiety or stress were not significantly associated with changes in social functioning.

Item Type: Thesis (UNSPECIFIED)
Supervisor name: Veling, W.A. and Nijman, S.A.
Faculty: Medical Sciences
Date Deposited: 05 Sep 2023 11:23
Last Modified: 05 Sep 2023 11:23
URI: https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3671

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