Introduction Eating Behavior Disorders (EBDs) are complex psychological disorders characterized by distorted thoughts about eating, weight and body image. The psychopathology associated to these disorders can be reduced with traditional psychotherapy, however with the rapid development of technologies, some studies have seen potential on the use of immersive virtual reality (VR). This review aims to investigate the effectiveness of immersive VR in improving the main clinical, psychological and social outcomes of individuals with DCA. Materials and Methods A free keyword search was conducted on Google Scholar and Wiley Online Library, then the MEDLINE database was consulted via PubMed to collect relevant data about the effectiveness of immersive VR programs used to achieve improvement in the clinical and psychological picture of the disorder. Results Eight studies were included in the review, including seven RCTs and one systematic review of RCTs. The included studies use different VR programs in addition to standard treatment, demonstrating that these are more effective; particularly in reducing fear of gaining weight, body disperception, impulsivity, body-related anxiety and food cravings. Conclusions Immersive VR appears to be effective and promising in terms of personalization, monitoring and emotional response in patients, offering an ecologically and safe therapeutic environment. The included studies indicate that immersive VR therapy is an useful adjunct to conventional therapies as it offers numerous benefits, keeping in mind that overuse can cause significant side effects. Key words “eating disorders”, “anorexia”, “bulimia”, “disordered eating”, “binge eating disorder”, “virtual reality”, “virtual environment”, “immersive reality”
Introduzione I Disturbi del Comportamento Alimentare (DCA) sono disturbi psicologici complessi caratterizzati da pensieri distorti riguardo l'alimentazione, il peso e l'immagine corporea. La psicopatologia associata a questi disturbi può essere ridotta attraverso l’impiego della psicoterapia tradizionale, tuttavia con il rapido sviluppo delle tecnologie, alcuni studi hanno visto del potenziale sull’utilizzo della realtà virtuale immersiva (VR). Questa revisione ha l’obiettivo di indagare l’efficacia della VR immersiva nel miglioramento dei principali outcomes clinici, psicologici e sociali dei soggetti affetti da DCA. Materiali e metodi È stata effettuata una ricerca libera con le principali parole chiave tramite Google Scholar e Wiley Online Library, poi è stata consultata la banca dati MEDLINE tramite PubMed al fine di raccogliere dati pertinenti circa l’efficacia dei programmi VR immersivi utilizzati per ottenere un miglioramento del quadro clinico e psicologico del disturbo. Risultati Otto studi sono stati inclusi nella revisione, dei quali sette RCT ed una revisione sistematica di RCT. Gli studi inclusi utilizzano diversi programmi VR in aggiunta al trattamento standard, dimostrando che questi risultano più efficaci; in particolare per ridurre la paura di ingrassare, la dispercezione corporea, l’impulsività, l’ansia legata al corpo e il desiderio di cibo. Conclusioni La VR immersiva risulta efficace e promettente in termini di personalizzazione, monitoraggio e risposta emotiva nei pazienti, offrendo un ambiente terapeutico ecologicamente valido e sicuro. Gli studi inclusi indicano che la terapia VR immersiva rappresenta un'utile integrazione alle terapie convenzionali in quanto offre numerosi vantaggi, tenendo conto che l’uso eccessivo può causare effetti collaterali importanti. Parole chiave “eating disorders”, “anorexia”, “bulimia”, “disordered eating”, “binge eating disorder”, “virtual reality”, “virtual environment”, “immersive reality”
La realtà virtuale immersiva nel trattamento dei disturbi del comportamento alimentare: una revisione della letteratura
GALASSI, CHIARA
2022/2023
Abstract
Introduction Eating Behavior Disorders (EBDs) are complex psychological disorders characterized by distorted thoughts about eating, weight and body image. The psychopathology associated to these disorders can be reduced with traditional psychotherapy, however with the rapid development of technologies, some studies have seen potential on the use of immersive virtual reality (VR). This review aims to investigate the effectiveness of immersive VR in improving the main clinical, psychological and social outcomes of individuals with DCA. Materials and Methods A free keyword search was conducted on Google Scholar and Wiley Online Library, then the MEDLINE database was consulted via PubMed to collect relevant data about the effectiveness of immersive VR programs used to achieve improvement in the clinical and psychological picture of the disorder. Results Eight studies were included in the review, including seven RCTs and one systematic review of RCTs. The included studies use different VR programs in addition to standard treatment, demonstrating that these are more effective; particularly in reducing fear of gaining weight, body disperception, impulsivity, body-related anxiety and food cravings. Conclusions Immersive VR appears to be effective and promising in terms of personalization, monitoring and emotional response in patients, offering an ecologically and safe therapeutic environment. The included studies indicate that immersive VR therapy is an useful adjunct to conventional therapies as it offers numerous benefits, keeping in mind that overuse can cause significant side effects. Key words “eating disorders”, “anorexia”, “bulimia”, “disordered eating”, “binge eating disorder”, “virtual reality”, “virtual environment”, “immersive reality”File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12075/15825