Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking
-
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw · Jun 2014
Virtual reality for the induction of positive emotions in the treatment of fibromyalgia: a pilot study over acceptability, satisfaction, and the effect of virtual reality on mood.
One of the most important aspects of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is its impact on quality of life, increasing negative emotions and dysfunctional coping strategies. One of these strategies is to avoid activities, especially meaningful activities, which reduces positive reinforcement. Commencing significant daily activities could enable chronic patients to experience a more fulfilling life. ⋯ The VR environment was especially designed for chronic pain patients. Results showed significant increases in general mood state, positive emotions, motivation, and self-efficacy. These preliminary findings show the potential of VR as an adjunct to the psychological treatment of such an important health problem as chronic pain.
-
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw · Jun 2014
Clinical use of virtual reality distraction system to reduce anxiety and pain in dental procedures.
Virtual reality (VR) has been used by clinicians to manage pain in clinical populations. This study examines the use of VR as a form of distraction for dental patients using both subjective and objective measures to determine how a VR system affects patients' reported anxiety level, pain level, and physiological factors. ⋯ Physiological data reported similar trends in decreased anxiety. Overall, the favorable subjective and objective responses suggest that VR distraction systems can reduce discomfort and pain for patients with mild to moderate fear and anxiety.
-
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw · Jun 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialApplication of virtual body swapping to patients with complex regional pain syndrome: a pilot study.
This study aimed to apply virtual body swapping through mental rehearsal for patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and to investigate whether it is applicable to them. Ten patients who met the diagnostic criterion for CRPS type 1 were randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group. All participants were asked to watch the virtual body swapping training video clip with a head mounted display. ⋯ No difference between the groups was found for pain intensity, however, the treatment group showed significantly more improvement in body perception disturbance (BPD) after the treatment than the control group. Even if the presented study is a preliminary one, the above results suggest that virtual body swapping through mental rehearsal is applicable for patients with CRPS and may be useful for improving BPD. The limitations of the study and the future investigations needed to provide clearer clinical suggestions are presented and discussed.