@article{guingo_efficacy_2026,

title = {Efficacy of Virtual Reality vs. Tablet Games for Pain and Anxiety in Children Undergoing Bone Pins Removal: Randomised Clinical Trial},

author = {E. Guingo and M. H. Debeurme and R. P. Santos and S. Addab and P. Rainville and S. Bouchard and K. Chougui and A. Tsimicalis and M. -L. Nault and T. Ducruet and O. Ledjiar and M. Noel and K. St-Arneault and C. Cotes-Turpin and N. Hung and P. Ouimet and S. Parent and J. Gardner and M. Bernstein and S. Le May},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105004216228&doi=10.1111%2Fjan.16991&partnerID=40&md5=9200a82b5c9572abcc5170e9c9d6142b},

doi = {10.1111/jan.16991},

issn = {03092402 (ISSN)},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Advanced Nursing},

volume = {82},

number = {2},

pages = {1791–1802},

abstract = {Aims: To verify the efficacy of virtual reality compared to tablet games for pain and anxiety management in children undergoing percutaneous bone pin and/or suture removal procedures. Design: Randomised clinical trial using two parallel groups: (1) virtual reality or (2) tablet game. Methods: Three-center, randomised pragmatic clinical trial, using a parallel design with two groups (experimental group: immersive virtual reality; active comparator: tablet games). Children aged 6–17 requiring percutaneous pins and/or sutures were recruited between 2020 and 2022 from three outpatient orthopaedic clinics in paediatric hospitals. Pain was measured with the Numerical Rating Scale and anxiety with the Child Fear Scale before and immediately after the procedure. Results: A total of 188 participants were assigned to either the virtual reality group (96 participants) or the tablet group (92 participants). At the first assessment, there was no noticeable difference between the two groups in terms of pain or anxiety levels. However, further analysis revealed that participants aged 13 and older in the virtual reality group experienced significantly lower anxiety. Conclusion: Virtual reality was not more efficacious than games on a tablet for pain and anxiety of children undergoing removal of bone pins or sutures. However, virtual reality demonstrated a benefit in reducing anxiety for teenagers, particularly those aged 13-older. Implication for the Professional and/or Patient Care: Virtual reality games provide an immersive, non-pharmacological alternative of for anxiety management of teenagers during pins and/or sutures removal. Impact: This study showed that a virtual reality game may help reduce anxiety during pins and/or sutures removal procedures in patients aged 13 years and older. Reporting Method: We adhered to the CONSORT checklist for reporting results. Patient or Public Contribution: A patient partner reviewed the study design, methods and final manuscript. Trial Registration: NCT03680625. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Advanced Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.},

keywords = {Adolescent, analgesia, Anxiety, Bone Nails, Child, Children, clinical trial, comparative study, controlled study, female, human, Humans, intramedullary nailing, male, multicenter study, Pain Management, procedural pain, procedures, randomized controlled trial, Therapy, video game, Video Games, virtual reality},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{delangle_speaking_2026,

title = {Speaking face-to-face with a virtual avatar to reduce anxiety in students who stutter: Tool development and pilot study results},

author = {M. Delangle and A. Moïse-Richard and A. -L. Leclercq and D. Labbé and S. Bouchard and S. Andrews and L. Ménard},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105028302364&doi=10.1016%2Fj.jfludis.2026.106194&partnerID=40&md5=af0d246f9187ee19796f36456887400b},

doi = {10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106194},

issn = {0094730X (ISSN)},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Fluency Disorders},

volume = {87},

abstract = {Purpose Speaking in class is challenging for students who stutter. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure in virtual reality (VR) emerges as a promising intervention for treating speaking anxiety in pediatric populations. This pilot study tested if real-time avatar-based VR can elicit anxiety responses while remaining acceptable to youth who stutter. Method Twelve students who stutter (aged 9–18) were randomly assigned to a single training session conducted either (1) in VR with a realistic avatar controlled live by their SLP, or (2) in role-play with their SLP, before facing a real actor. We assessed system acceptability, anxiety levels and perceived self-efficacy. Results The VR system was well accepted and elicited physiological arousal comparable to real-life interactions. Although participants reported experiencing less anxiety during VR, skin conductance level showed higher arousal; suggesting a divergence between the subjective report and physiological response. Finally, one training session (either in VR or with the SLP) did not produce gains in self-efficacy or decrease in anxiety related to the final real-actor conversation. Conclusion This study demonstrates evidence that the potential use of immersive VR could represent an acceptable and viable complementary strategy for SLP treatment, that could control exposure parameters while evoking physiological responses similar to real-life contexts. The differences between subjective and physiological measures suggest that VR is inducing anxiety responses differently than it was perceived. Further research could investigate the use of VR as anxiety interventions for students who stutter and should be explored across multi-session studies to understand their therapeutic effect. © 2026 The Authors.},

keywords = {Adolescent, adult, Anxiety, Arousal, article, Avatar, avoidance behavior, Canada, Child, clinical article, cognitive behavioral therapy, complication, controlled study, distance learning, ecological validity, electrocardiogram, electrodermal response, exposure, female, Heart Rate, heart rate variability, human, Humans, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Likert scale, male, nonverbal communication, physiological stress, Pilot Projects, pilot study, procedures, psychology, questionnaire, randomized controlled trial, role playing, School-age children, Self Concept, Self Efficacy, self report, Signal processing, skin conductance, social anxiety, speech, student, Students, Stuttering, Therapy, treatment outcome, virtual reality, virtual reality exposure therapy},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{alessandra_preselected_2026,

title = {Preselected and preferred immersive virtual reality versus narrative alone to induce post-stress relaxation in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension: A pilot study on perceived stress and heart rate},

author = {G. Alessandra and D. M. Beatrice and C. Sara and M. Roberta and V. Martina and K. Patrycja and B. Maurizio and B. Luca and D. V. Laura Adelaide and B. Stéphane},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105029595132&doi=10.1111%2Fbjhp.70059&partnerID=40&md5=b86f0151066a7923d8854913cbd54318},

doi = {10.1111/bjhp.70059},

issn = {1359107X (ISSN)},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

journal = {British Journal of Health Psychology},

volume = {31},

number = {1},

abstract = {Objectives: Several studies have shown the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (IVR)-based relaxation techniques in alleviating stress within the general population. However, few data are available on patients, or on the effectiveness of different scenarios in inducing relaxation. This pilot study aims to compare the effectiveness of three relaxation techniques—preselected IVR (IVR-PS), preferred IVR (i.e. chosen by the participant from different alternatives—IVR-PR), and narrative alone (CTR)—in reducing physiological and psychological stress in 16 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) female patients (N = 16, average age: 46 ± 10.66 years; average education: 13.31 ± 3.8 years; mean duration of illness: 8.56 ± 5.24 years) following an acute stress. Methods: Patients performed a mental stress test followed by three different relaxation sessions presented in a randomized order on three separate occasions. Self-perceived stress, level of relaxation, and heart rate (HR) were monitored during the sessions. Participants' ratings of their experiences were also collected. Results: The results indicated that the three relaxation methods were equally effective in reducing perceived stress induced by acute stress and in lowering HR. However, greater cognitive activation was reported in the two IVR conditions compared with the narrative condition. Conclusions: This is the first study to show evidence of the impact of IVR on a rare population. Despite the lack of significant differences between the two IVR and narrative-alone conditions in physiological and subjective relaxation, more than half of the participants expressed a subjective preference for the virtual experience, especially for the preferred one. © 2026 The Author(s). British Journal of Health Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.},

keywords = {adult, controlled study, female, Heart Rate, human, Humans, hypertension, Immersive virtual reality, mental stress, Middle Aged, Narration, pathophysiology, physiology, Pilot Projects, pilot study, procedures, Psychological, psychology, Pulmonary, pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, randomized controlled trial, rehabilitation, relaxation, Relaxation Therapy, relaxation training, Stress, Therapy, verbal communication, virtual reality},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{chretien_emotional_2025,

title = {Emotional Regulation in Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders Treatment: A Systematic Review},

author = {S. Chrétien and I. Giroux and I. Smith and C. Jacques and F. Ferland and S. Sévigny and S. Bouchard},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85217537329&doi=10.1007%2Fs10899-024-10366-8&partnerID=40&md5=983d265abca0e51a5a20d5ce34e1696a},

doi = {10.1007/s10899-024-10366-8},

issn = {10505350 (ISSN)},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Gambling Studies},

volume = {41},

number = {2},

pages = {353–448},

abstract = {Emotions play an undeniable role in addictive disorders. Given the high relapse and drop-out rates still prevalent in current treatments, it is crucial to explore curative alternatives that take greater account of emotions. The primary objective of this systematic review is to gather literature related to emotion regulation in psychological addictive disorders treatments. The aim is to describe its use for individuals with behavioral (such as gambling disorder, problematic Internet gaming, and Internet addiction) or substance-related disorders. Following a screening of nearly 12,000 articles from six databases and the grey literature, 38 studies that met the selection criteria were included. The results show that 63.2% of the studies had a psychological treatment predominantly based on emotional regulation, with 81.6% (n = 31) of third-wave cognitive-behavioral interventions. The most frequently utilized intervention techniques for emotional regulation were those that facilitated an individual's awareness of their emotional state or provided psychological education to assist in identifying emotions. It would be valuable for future research to explore the most effective content for emotional regulation in treating substance-related and addictive disorders and to determine the specific client population that would benefit the most from this treatment. © The Author(s) 2025.},

note = {Publisher: Springer},

keywords = {addiction, Addictive, Addictive disorders, behavior, cognitive behavioral therapy, drug dependence, emotion regulation, Emotional Regulation, Gambling, human, Humans, internet addiction, Internet Addiction Disorder, Intervention, Non-substance-related disorders, procedures, psychology, Substance use disorders, Substance-Related Disorders, systematic review, Therapy},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{bouchard_correction_2025,

title = {Correction to: A Multisite Non-Inferiority Randomized Controlled Trial of the Efficacy of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder Delivered by Videoconference (Journal of Clinical Medicine, (2022), 11, 19, (5924), 10.3390/jcm11195924)},

author = {S. Bouchard and M. J. Dugas and G. Belleville and F. Langlois and P. Gosselin and G. Robillard and G. Corno and A. Marchand},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85214532116&doi=10.3390%2fjcm14010226&partnerID=40&md5=16541bbb78a40461c709381c70e9ef68},

doi = {10.3390/jcm14010226},

issn = {20770383 (ISSN)},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine},

volume = {14},

number = {1},

publisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)},

abstract = {In the original publication [1], there was a mistake in Table 1 as published. The probabilities for the Chi-Square for the variable “Taking medication” of 3.38, p > 0.95. The corrected Table 1 appears below. The probabilities for the Chi-Square for the variable “Taking medication” of 3.38, p > 0.05. There was a mistake in Table 2 as published. The abbreviation for standard deviation for means reported in the column for the 6-month follow-up is D. The corrected Table 2 appears below. The abbreviation for standard deviation for means reported in the column for the 6-month follow-up is SD. There are five errors in Table 5. In the IUS Residualized change line, std Beta should be 0.56, t should be 6.44, Simple corr. should be 0.54, Partial corr. should be 0.52, Semi-Partial corr. should be 0.51. Contribution of non-specific and specific factors of CBT for GAD when delivered by videoconference or face-to-face at the second step of a hierarchical regression predicting improvements in ADIS-IV ratings. Note. ADIS-IV = Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule-IV},

note = {Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)},

keywords = {erratum, female, human, Therapy},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{du_sert_virtual_2018,

title = {Virtual reality therapy for refractory auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia: A pilot clinical trial},

author = {O. P. Sert and S. Potvin and O. Lipp and L. Dellazizzo and M. Laurelli and R. Breton and P. Lalonde and K. Phraxayavong and K. O'Connor and J. -F. Pelletier and T. Boukhalfi and P. Renaud and A. Dumais},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85042420594&doi=10.1016%2fj.schres.2018.02.031&partnerID=40&md5=fe98669ecfdfb69d05cc9ebb58fecdcc},

doi = {10.1016/j.schres.2018.02.031},

issn = {09209964},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-01-01},

journal = {Schizophrenia Research},

volume = {197},

pages = {176–181},

publisher = {Elsevier B.V.},

abstract = {Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental illness that poses significant challenges. While many pharmacological and psychosocial interventions are available, many treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients continue to suffer from persistent psychotic symptoms, notably auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH), which are highly disabling. This unmet clinical need requires new innovative treatment options. Recently, a psychological therapy using computerized technology has shown large therapeutic effects on AVH severity by enabling patients to engage in a dialogue with a computerized representation of their voices. These very promising results have been extended by our team using immersive virtual reality (VR). Our study was a 7-week phase-II, randomized, partial cross-over trial. Nineteen schizophrenia patients with refractory AVH were recruited and randomly allocated to either VR-assisted therapy (VRT) or treatment-as-usual (TAU). The group allocated to TAU consisted of antipsychotic treatment and usual meetings with clinicians. The TAU group then received a delayed 7 weeks of VRT. A follow-up was ensured 3 months after the last VRT therapy session. Changes in psychiatric symptoms, before and after TAU or VRT, were assessed using a linear mixed-effects model. Our findings showed that VRT produced significant improvements in AVH severity, depressive symptoms and quality of life that lasted at the 3-month follow-up period. Consistent with previous research, our results suggest that VRT might be efficacious in reducing AVH related distress. The therapeutic effects of VRT on the distress associated with the voices were particularly prominent (d = 1.2). VRT is a highly novel and promising intervention for refractory AVH in schizophrenia. © 2018},

note = {Publisher: Elsevier B.V.},

keywords = {adult, article, auditory hallucination, auditory verbal hallucination, clinical article, clinical effectiveness, computer assisted therapy, Computer-Assisted, controlled study, Cross-Over Studies, crossover procedure, disease severity, distress syndrome, female, follow up, Follow-Up Studies, hallucination, Hallucinations, human, Humans, male, Middle Aged, neuroleptic agent, outcome assessment, Outcome Assessment (Health Care), phase 2 clinical trial, physiology, Pilot Projects, pilot study, priority journal, procedures, psychotherapy, quality of life, randomized controlled trial, schizophrenia, Speech Perception, symptom, Therapy, therapy delay, therapy effect, treatment duration, treatment response, virtual reality, virtual reality exposure therapy},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{chretien_cognitive_2017,

title = {Cognitive restructuring of gambling-related thoughts: A systematic review},

author = {M. Chrétien and I. Giroux and A. Goulet and C. Jacques and S. Bouchard},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85024477584&doi=10.1016%2fj.addbeh.2017.07.001&partnerID=40&md5=77a066c286d78d0e401757c44a13b9af},

doi = {10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.07.001},

issn = {03064603 (ISSN)},

year  = {2017},

date = {2017-01-01},

journal = {Addictive Behaviors},

volume = {75},

pages = {108–121},

publisher = {Elsevier Ltd},

abstract = {Gamblers' thoughts have a fundamental influence on their gambling problem. Cognitive restructuring is the intervention of choice to correct those thoughts. However, certain difficulties are noted in the application of cognitive restructuring techniques and the comprehension of their guidelines. Furthermore, the increase of skill game players (e.g. poker) entering treatment creates a challenge for therapists, as these gamblers present with different thoughts than those of the gamblers usually encountered in treatment (e.g. chance-only games like electronic gambling machines). This systematic review aims to describe how cognitive restructuring is carried out with gamblers based on the evidence available in empirical studies that include cognitive interventions for gambling. Of the 2607 studies collected, 39 were retained. The results highlight exposure as the most frequently used technique to facilitate identification of gambling-related thoughts (imaginal = 28.2%; in vivo = 10.3%). More than half of the studies (69.2%) clearly reported therapeutic techniques aimed to correct gamblers' thoughts, of which 37% involved visual support to challenge those thoughts (e.g. ABC log). Of the 39 studies retained, 48.7% included skill game players (i.e., poker, blackjack, sports betting) in their sample. However, none of these studies mentioned whether cognitive restructuring had been adapted for these gamblers. Several terms referring to gamblers' thoughts were used interchangeably (e.g. erroneous, dysfunctional or inadequate thoughts), although each of these terms could refer to specific content. Clinical implications of the results are discussed with regard to the needs of therapists. This review also suggests recommendations for future research. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd},

note = {Publisher: Elsevier Ltd},

keywords = {behavior change, cognition, Cognitive distortions, cognitive restructuring, Cognitive techniques, cognitive therapy, Cognitive-behavioral treatment, empiricism, Gambling, Gambling treatment, human, Humans, methodology, nomenclature, pathological gambling, procedures, psychology, review, sport, systematic review, Therapy, Thinking},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{lord-gauthier_stress_2016,

title = {Le stress au travail. Savoir y faire face},

author = {J. Lord-Gauthier and F. Montigny and S. Bouchard},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85045181367&partnerID=40&md5=6c31d6b363aecd894805c5c34005f804},

issn = {17081890},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-01-01},

journal = {Perspective infirmiere : revue officielle de l'Ordre des infirmieres et infirmiers du Quebec},

volume = {13},

number = {5},

pages = {21–25},

keywords = {Adaptation, Burnout, Canada, coping behavior, Diagnosis, epidemiology, etiology, female, human, Humans, job stress, male, mental stress, nurse, Nurses, Nursing, Occupational Stress, physiology, prevention and control, Professional, Psychological, psychology, questionnaire, Retrospective Studies, retrospective study, statistics and numerical data, Stress, Surveys and Questionnaires, Therapy, Workplace},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{robillard_development_2011,

title = {The development of the SWEAT questionnaire: a scale measuring costs and efforts inherent to conducting exposure sessions.},

author = {G. Robillard and S. Bouchard and S. Dumoulin and T. Guitard},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-80054121010&partnerID=40&md5=10bd1de5d9c38b5a975dab3b477c1d4d},

issn = {09269630},

year  = {2011},

date = {2011-01-01},

journal = {Studies in health technology and informatics},

volume = {167},

pages = {105–110},

abstract = {For decades, empirical studies have shown the effectiveness of exposure techniques when used in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment for anxiety disorders. A few studies are now suggesting that using Virtual Reality (VR) may be an effective way to conduct exposure and overcome some of the limitations of in vivo exposure. The aim of this study is to validate the Specific Work for Exposure Applied in Therapy (SWEAT) questionnaire that measures costs and efforts required to conduct in vivo and in virtuo exposure. A total of 265 exposure sessions (in vivo = 140; in virtuo = 125) were rated by experienced psychologists. Reliability analysis revealed three main factors in the construct of the SWEAT questionnaire. Results also showed that conducting exposure in VR is less of a burden and more readily adapted to the patients' needs than in vivo.},

keywords = {adult, Anxiety disorder, Anxiety Disorders, article, behavior therapy, clinical effectiveness, computer assisted therapy, computer interface, Computer Simulation, Computer-Assisted, controlled study, cost benefit analysis, economics, exposure, female, human, Humans, Implosive Therapy, in vivo study, male, methodology, psychologist, Psychometrics, psychometry, questionnaire, Questionnaires, reliability, reproducibility, Reproducibility of Results, specific work for exposure applied in therapy questionnaire, Therapy, User-Computer Interface, virtual reality},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{bouchard_could_2011,

title = {Could virtual reality be effective in treating children with phobias?},

author = {S. Bouchard},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79951655992&doi=10.1586%2fern.10.196&partnerID=40&md5=a941040ff9b2edf8439f26b36edc7163},

doi = {10.1586/ern.10.196},

issn = {17448360 (ISSN)},

year  = {2011},

date = {2011-01-01},

journal = {Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics},

volume = {11},

number = {2},

pages = {207–213},

abstract = {The use of virtual reality to treat anxiety disorders in adults is gaining popularity and its efficacy is supported by numerous outcome studies. Similar research for children is lagging behind. The outcome studies on the use of virtual reality to treat anxiety disorders in children currently address only specific phobias, and all of the available trials are reviewed in this article. Despite the limited number of studies, results are very encouraging for the treatment of school and spider phobias. A study with adolescents suggests that, at least for social anxiety, exposure stimuli would be more effective if they were developed specifically for younger populations. Virtual reality may not increase children's motivation towards therapy unless their fearful apprehension is addressed before initiating the treatment. © 2011 Expert Reviews Ltd.},

keywords = {Adolescent, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, arachnophobia, article, audiovisual equipment, Child, child psychiatry, Children, cognitive therapy, Cognitive-behavior therapy, Computer Simulation, Computer-Assisted, controlled clinical trial (topic), environmental factor, Exposure therapy, groups by age, human, Humans, image display, motivation, phobia, Phobic Disorders, social phobia, spider, Therapy, treatment outcome, User-Computer Interface, virtual reality},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}