Virtual reality exposure for OCD: Is it feasible? [Exposición mediante realidad virtual para el TOC: ¿Es factible?]

Abstract

Abstract:During the past decade, the implementation of 3D visualization and Geographic Information System (GIS) in archaeological research has increased and is now well established. However, the combination of these two factors remains rather complicated when faced with archaeological data. Some of the characteristics of this discipline impose the development of applications that will be able to cope with all of the specificities of archaeological data. Our research aims to create an Archaeological Information System (AIS) that will gather all of the characteristics of an archaeological work. In order to develop such an AIS, our first step was to identify its purposes and consequently, the features that should be available to the users. As it is destined to help with archaeological research, it is therefore of the outmost importance that the particularities of such a study are also taken into account. Moreover, the AIS is intended to incorporate point clouds that serve as a base for the three-dimensional model. These 3D point clouds result from the use of photogrammetry and/or lasergrammetry and, at a later stage, will be inserted into a GIS similar structure. The archaeological data will then be linked to the relevant section of the 3D model. However, these various stages and during the development of the AIS itself, we will encounter a series of issues that require to be addressed in order to produce a working system. This paper aims to identify and define the AIS characteristics as well as the issues and obstacles that we are going to face so that this system becomes a functional tool for archaeological research.

Assessment of virtual reality as an anxiety and disgust provoking tool: The use of VR exposure in individuals with high contamination fear

“…Previous studies revealed that VR tasks are effective in triggering anxiety in individuals with contamination obsessions (Belloch et al, 2014;Laforest, Bouchard, Cretu et al, 2016). This study extends previous research by showing that VR can be used as a disgust-provoking tool in addition to anxiety.…”

“…Consistent with studies demonstrating the effects of anxiety on handwashing behavior (Cougle et al, 2007), the increase in anxiety and disgust levels in the HCF group could have led to a greater urge to wash hands. These findings provided further support for prior research that suggests the use of VR to induce various OCD symptoms and urge to neutralize (Belloch et al, 2014;Kim et al, 2008;Laforest, Bouchard, Cretu et al, 2016;van Bennekom et al, 2017).…”

“…The experiment was conducted by three clinical psychology graduate students. Based on scenarios developed by Belloch et al (2014), four different virtual scenarios consisting of a total of 12 tasks were developed (Table 1, Figure 2). In a similar manner to that of Belloch et al (2014), all scenarios took place in a kitchen setting where the degree of dirtiness and disgust gradually increased from Scenario 1 to Scenario 4.…”

“…The single-case study conducted by Laforest, Bouchard, Cretu et al (2016) also provided preliminary support for the use of VR exposure in the cognitive-behavioral treatment of contamination-related OCD. Belloch et al (2014) examined the feasibility of VR exposure on four patients with contamination-based OCD and found that the anxiety and disgust levels increased as the level of dirtiness of the virtual environment increased. Furthermore, repeated exposure to the VR environment resulted in decreased symptom severity.…”

“…However, the number of studies that specifically apply VR exposure to the fear of contamination is limited. Additionally, the first trials were pilot studies that were conducted with a very small number of participants (Belloch et al, 2014;Inozu et al, 2020;Laforest, Bouchard, Cretu et al, 2016;van Bennekom et al, 2017). Another major limitation was the lack of control groups in previous studies.…”