@article{cornoExploringVirtualReality2026,

title = {Exploring Virtual Reality for Body Image Assessment and Psychological Interventions in Individuals With Obesity: a Comprehensive Review},

author = {G. Corno and Á. Zamora and S. Bouchard and R. Baños and A. Baillot and J. Monthuy-Blanc},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105024457568?origin=resultslist},

doi = {10.1111/obr.70051},

issn = {14677881 (ISSN)},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

journal = {Obesity Reviews},

volume = {27},

number = {4},

publisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},

abstract = {Introduction: Individuals living with obesity often experience body image (BI) disturbances, which can negatively affect their quality of life and treatment outcomes. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool for enhancing psychological interventions, but no comprehensive review has specifically focused on VR-based studies addressing BI disturbances in this population. Methods: This comprehensive review examined studies utilizing VR for the assessment and treatment of BI disturbances in individuals with obesity. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Results: Studies were categorized into three groups: (i) VR in psychological interventions for individuals with obesity, (ii) VR interventions following metabolic and bariatric surgery, and (iii) VR-based full-body illusion experiments. The primary clinical application was experiential cognitive therapy, which demonstrated greater efficacy in reducing negative BI compared with standard cognitive behavioral therapy and other treatments. Studies involving post-metabolic and bariatric surgery adults also supported VR's efficacy in reducing BI dissatisfaction, though long-term benefits were inconsistent. Full-body illusion experiments suggested that VR can help modify distorted body perceptions. However, most studies were conducted by the same research group, focused exclusively on women, and were limited to specific geographical regions, primarily Italy. Conclusion: While preliminary results suggest that VR is a promising tool for treating BI disturbances in individuals with obesity, the field remains under-researched. Notably, no studies have explored VR's potential as an assessment tool in this population. Future studies should include more diverse populations, investigate long-term outcomes, and explore potential barriers to clinical implementation. © 2025 The Author(s). Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity Federation.},

keywords = {adult, Anxiety disorder, Assertiveness, Bariatric Surgery, body dysmorphic disorder, body image, body image assessment, body image avoidance questionnaire, body image disturbances, body satisfaction scale, bulimia, Clinical research, cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, Depression, electroconvulsive therapy, exercise, feeding behavior, female, follow up, gastric banding, geography, group therapy, human, Humans, Italy, low calorie diet, male, obesity, overnutrition, physical activity, procedures, psychology, psychotherapy, quality of life, review, social background, systematic review, Therapy, Three-Factor-Eating-Questionnaire, training, virtual reality},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{jeanningros_exposure-based_2025,

title = {Exposure-Based Intervention in Virtual Reality to Address Kinesiophobia in Parkinson’s Disease: A Narrative Review},

author = {A. Jeanningros and S. Bouchard and A. Potvin-Desrochers},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105025999269&doi=10.3390%2Fjcm14248837&partnerID=40&md5=9c874cbaf8739d404c31fff42aca15db},

doi = {10.3390/jcm14248837},

issn = {20770383 (ISSN)},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine},

volume = {14},

number = {24},

abstract = {Background/Objectives: Physical activity alleviates symptoms and may slow Parkinson’s disease (PD) progression, yet many individuals with PD remain sedentary. Kinesiophobia, the fear of movement, may represent a significant but underexplored psychological barrier to physical activity in this population. Virtual reality (VR), already effective in phobias, may represent a promising approach to address this challenge. This review initially aimed to systematically examine exposure-based interventions in VR (E-IVR) directly targeting kinesiophobia in PD. Methods: Database searches using keywords such as “kinesiophobia,” “fear of movement,” and “VR” combined with “PD” yielded no eligible studies. Consequently, the scope was broadened to include populations with neurological or musculoskeletal conditions, and a narrative review format was adopted to synthesize the available evidence. Furthermore, relevant studies of interventions in VR applied in PD, although not specifically addressing kinesiophobia, are detailed to provide evidence of efficacy and feasibility of VR interventions in PD. Finally, directions are offered to support the creation of E-IVR targeting kinesiophobia in individuals with PD. Results: Meta-analyses in neurological and musculoskeletal populations demonstrate moderate to large reductions in kinesiophobia following VR interventions, although effects vary depending on assessment tools, degree of immersion, and exposure design. In PD, VR has been applied to rehabilitation, anxiety reduction, and quality of life enhancement. These interventions achieved high adherence (≥90%), were well tolerated, and reported no major adverse events. Conclusions: Kinesiophobia is prevalent in PD and could contribute to physical inactivity. E-IVR appears feasible, safe, and innovative for addressing kinesiophobia in people living with PD. © 2025 by the authors.},

keywords = {avoidance behavior, chronic pain, Depression, disease exacerbation, exposure-based intervention, human, in vivo study, kinesiophobia, low back pain, Medline, musculoskeletal pain, outcome expectation, Parkinson disease, Parkinson’s disease, physical activity, quality of life, rehabilitation care, review, Scopus, Self Concept, virtual reality},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{jeanningrosExposureBasedInterventionVirtual2025,

title = {Exposure-Based Intervention in Virtual Reality to Address Kinesiophobia in Parkinson’s Disease: A Narrative Review},

author = {A. Jeanningros and S. Bouchard and A. Potvin-Desrochers},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105025999269?origin=resultslist},

doi = {10.3390/jcm14248837},

issn = {20770383 (ISSN)},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine},

volume = {14},

number = {24},

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

abstract = {Background/Objectives: Physical activity alleviates symptoms and may slow Parkinson’s disease (PD) progression, yet many individuals with PD remain sedentary. Kinesiophobia, the fear of movement, may represent a significant but underexplored psychological barrier to physical activity in this population. Virtual reality (VR), already effective in phobias, may represent a promising approach to address this challenge. This review initially aimed to systematically examine exposure-based interventions in VR (E-IVR) directly targeting kinesiophobia in PD. Methods: Database searches using keywords such as “kinesiophobia,” “fear of movement,” and “VR” combined with “PD” yielded no eligible studies. Consequently, the scope was broadened to include populations with neurological or musculoskeletal conditions, and a narrative review format was adopted to synthesize the available evidence. Furthermore, relevant studies of interventions in VR applied in PD, although not specifically addressing kinesiophobia, are detailed to provide evidence of efficacy and feasibility of VR interventions in PD. Finally, directions are offered to support the creation of E-IVR targeting kinesiophobia in individuals with PD. Results: Meta-analyses in neurological and musculoskeletal populations demonstrate moderate to large reductions in kinesiophobia following VR interventions, although effects vary depending on assessment tools, degree of immersion, and exposure design. In PD, VR has been applied to rehabilitation, anxiety reduction, and quality of life enhancement. These interventions achieved high adherence (≥90%), were well tolerated, and reported no major adverse events. Conclusions: Kinesiophobia is prevalent in PD and could contribute to physical inactivity. E-IVR appears feasible, safe, and innovative for addressing kinesiophobia in people living with PD. © 2025 by the authors.},

keywords = {avoidance behavior, chronic pain, Depression, disease exacerbation, exposure-based intervention, human, in vivo study, kinesiophobia, low back pain, Medline, musculoskeletal pain, outcome expectation, Parkinson disease, Parkinson’s disease, physical activity, quality of life, rehabilitation care, review, Scopus, Self Concept, virtual reality},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{jeanningrosExposureBasedInterventionVirtual2025a,

title = {Exposure-Based Intervention in Virtual Reality to Address Kinesiophobia in Parkinson’s Disease: A Narrative Review},

author = {A. Jeanningros and S. Bouchard and A. Potvin-Desrochers},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105025999269&doi=10.3390%2Fjcm14248837&partnerID=40&md5=9c874cbaf8739d404c31fff42aca15db},

doi = {10.3390/jcm14248837},

issn = {20770383 (ISSN)},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine},

volume = {14},

number = {24},

abstract = {Background/Objectives: Physical activity alleviates symptoms and may slow Parkinson’s disease (PD) progression, yet many individuals with PD remain sedentary. Kinesiophobia, the fear of movement, may represent a significant but underexplored psychological barrier to physical activity in this population. Virtual reality (VR), already effective in phobias, may represent a promising approach to address this challenge. This review initially aimed to systematically examine exposure-based interventions in VR (E-IVR) directly targeting kinesiophobia in PD. Methods: Database searches using keywords such as “kinesiophobia,” “fear of movement,” and “VR” combined with “PD” yielded no eligible studies. Consequently, the scope was broadened to include populations with neurological or musculoskeletal conditions, and a narrative review format was adopted to synthesize the available evidence. Furthermore, relevant studies of interventions in VR applied in PD, although not specifically addressing kinesiophobia, are detailed to provide evidence of efficacy and feasibility of VR interventions in PD. Finally, directions are offered to support the creation of E-IVR targeting kinesiophobia in individuals with PD. Results: Meta-analyses in neurological and musculoskeletal populations demonstrate moderate to large reductions in kinesiophobia following VR interventions, although effects vary depending on assessment tools, degree of immersion, and exposure design. In PD, VR has been applied to rehabilitation, anxiety reduction, and quality of life enhancement. These interventions achieved high adherence (≥90%), were well tolerated, and reported no major adverse events. Conclusions: Kinesiophobia is prevalent in PD and could contribute to physical inactivity. E-IVR appears feasible, safe, and innovative for addressing kinesiophobia in people living with PD. © 2025 by the authors.},

keywords = {avoidance behavior, chronic pain, Depression, disease exacerbation, exposure-based intervention, human, in vivo study, kinesiophobia, low back pain, Medline, musculoskeletal pain, outcome expectation, Parkinson disease, Parkinson’s disease, physical activity, quality of life, rehabilitation care, review, Scopus, Self Concept, virtual reality},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{petrin_maternal_2024,

title = {Maternal childhood emotional abuse increases cardiovascular responses to children’s emotional facial expressions},

author = {R. Pétrin and A. Bérubé and É. St-Pierre and C. Blais},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85192637581&doi=10.1371%2fjournal.pone.0302782&partnerID=40&md5=c464b30fe7cc5b7b0baaf865fdf1f6de},

doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0302782},

issn = {19326203 (ISSN)},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {PLoS ONE},

volume = {19},

number = {5 May},

publisher = {Public Library of Science},

abstract = {Parents with a history of childhood maltreatment may be more likely to respond inadequately to their child’s emotional cues, such as crying or screaming, due to previous exposure to prolonged stress. While studies have investigated parents’ physiological reactions to their children’s vocal expressions of emotions, less attention has been given to their responses when perceiving children’s facial expressions of emotions. The present study aimed to determine if viewing facial expressions of emotions in children induces cardiovascular changes in mothers (hypo- or hyper-arousal) and whether these differ as a function of childhood maltreatment. A total of 104 mothers took part in this study. Their experiences of childhood maltreatment were measured using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Participants’ electrocardiogram signals were recorded during a task in which they viewed a landscape video (baseline) and images of children’s faces expressing different intensities of emotion. Heart rate variability (HRV) was extracted from the recordings as an indicator of parasympathetic reactivity. Participants presented two profiles: one group of mothers had a decreased HRV when presented with images of children’s facial expressions of emotions, while the other group’s HRV increased. However, HRV change was not significantly different between the two groups. The interaction between HRV groups and the severity of maltreatment experienced was marginal. Results suggested that experiences of childhood emotional abuse were more common in mothers whose HRV increased during the task. Therefore, more severe childhood experiences of emotional abuse could be associated with mothers’ cardiovascular hyperreactivity. Maladaptive cardiovascular responses could have a ripple effect, influencing how mothers react to their children’s facial expressions of emotions. That reaction could affect the quality of their interaction with their child. Providing interventions that help parents regulate their physiological and behavioral responses to stress might be helpful, especially if they have experienced childhood maltreatment. © 2024 Public Library of Science. All rights reserved.},

note = {Publisher: Public Library of Science},

keywords = {adult, alcohol consumption, analysis of variance, article, blood pressure, cardiovascular response, Child, Child Abuse, Childhood, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, demographics, electrocardiogram, Electrocardiography, emotion, Emotional Abuse, Emotions, Ethnicity, Facial Expression, female, Heart Rate, heart rate variability, human, human experiment, Humans, Likert scale, male, mother, mother child relation, Mother-Child Relations, Mothers, parasympathetic tone, physical activity, physiology, post hoc analysis, psychology, questionnaire, sexual abuse, Surveys and Questionnaires},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{petrinMaternalChildhoodEmotional2024,

title = {Maternal childhood emotional abuse increases cardiovascular responses to children’s emotional facial expressions},

author = {R. Pétrin and A. Bérubé and É. St-Pierre and C. Blais},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85192637581&doi=10.1371%2fjournal.pone.0302782&partnerID=40&md5=c464b30fe7cc5b7b0baaf865fdf1f6de},

doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0302782},

issn = {19326203 (ISSN)},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {PLoS ONE},

volume = {19},

number = {5 May},

publisher = {Public Library of Science},

abstract = {Parents with a history of childhood maltreatment may be more likely to respond inadequately to their child’s emotional cues, such as crying or screaming, due to previous exposure to prolonged stress. While studies have investigated parents’ physiological reactions to their children’s vocal expressions of emotions, less attention has been given to their responses when perceiving children’s facial expressions of emotions. The present study aimed to determine if viewing facial expressions of emotions in children induces cardiovascular changes in mothers (hypo- or hyper-arousal) and whether these differ as a function of childhood maltreatment. A total of 104 mothers took part in this study. Their experiences of childhood maltreatment were measured using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Participants’ electrocardiogram signals were recorded during a task in which they viewed a landscape video (baseline) and images of children’s faces expressing different intensities of emotion. Heart rate variability (HRV) was extracted from the recordings as an indicator of parasympathetic reactivity. Participants presented two profiles: one group of mothers had a decreased HRV when presented with images of children’s facial expressions of emotions, while the other group’s HRV increased. However, HRV change was not significantly different between the two groups. The interaction between HRV groups and the severity of maltreatment experienced was marginal. Results suggested that experiences of childhood emotional abuse were more common in mothers whose HRV increased during the task. Therefore, more severe childhood experiences of emotional abuse could be associated with mothers’ cardiovascular hyperreactivity. Maladaptive cardiovascular responses could have a ripple effect, influencing how mothers react to their children’s facial expressions of emotions. That reaction could affect the quality of their interaction with their child. Providing interventions that help parents regulate their physiological and behavioral responses to stress might be helpful, especially if they have experienced childhood maltreatment. © 2024 Public Library of Science. All rights reserved.},

keywords = {adult, alcohol consumption, analysis of variance, article, blood pressure, cardiovascular response, Child, Child Abuse, Childhood, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, demographics, electrocardiogram, Electrocardiography, emotion, Emotional Abuse, Emotions, Ethnicity, Facial Expression, female, Heart Rate, heart rate variability, human, human experiment, Humans, Likert scale, male, mother, mother child relation, Mother-Child Relations, Mothers, parasympathetic tone, physical activity, physiology, post hoc analysis, psychology, questionnaire, sexual abuse, Surveys and Questionnaires},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{baillot_factors_2023,

title = {Factors Associated with Excess Skin After Bariatric Surgery: a Mixed-Method Study},

author = {A. Baillot and J. Brunet and L. Lemelin and S. A. Gabriel and M. -F. Langlois and A. Tchernof and L. Biertho and R. Rabasa-Lhoret and P. Y. Garneau and A. Aimé and S. Bouchard and A. J. Romain and P. Bernard},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85163716815&doi=10.1007%2fs11695-023-06698-w&partnerID=40&md5=c86ee43b5f7daf6c350936d38944d013},

doi = {10.1007/s11695-023-06698-w},

issn = {09608923 (ISSN)},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Obesity Surgery},

volume = {33},

number = {8},

pages = {2324–2334},

publisher = {Springer},

abstract = {Purpose: After metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), many patients have excess skin (ES), which can cause inconveniences. Identifying factors related to ES quantity and inconveniences is crucial to inform interventions. The aim of this study was to identify sociodemographic, physical, psychosocial, and behavioral factors associated with ES quantity and inconveniences. Materials and Methods: A mixed-method study with a sequential explanatory design was conducted with 124 adults (92% women, M age 46.5 ± 9.9 years, M time post-MBS 34.2 ± 27.6 months). During phase I, ES quantity (arms, abdomen, thighs) and inconveniences and sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical, and behavioral outcomes were assessed. In phase II, 7 focus groups were performed with 37 participants from phase I. A triangulation protocol was completed to identify convergences, complementarities, and dissonances from quantitative and qualitative data. Results: Quantitative data indicate only ES quantity on arms was associated with ES inconveniences on arms (r =.36, p <.01). Total ES quantity was associated with maximal body mass index (BMI) reached pre-MBS (r =.48, p <.05) and current BMI (r =.35, p <.05). Greater ES inconvenience was associated with higher social physique anxiety and age (R 2 =.50, p <.01). Qualitative data were summarized into 4 themes: psychosocial experiences living with ES, physical ailments due to ES, essential support and unmet needs, and beliefs of ES quantity causes. Conclusion: Measured ES quantity is related to higher BMI, but not reported inconveniences. Greater self-reported ES quantity and inconveniences were associated with body image concerns. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.},

note = {Publisher: Springer},

keywords = {adult, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, anthropometry, Anxiety, article, asthma, Bariatric Surgery, body dissatisfaction, body image, body mass, Body Mass Index, controlled study, dermatomycosis, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, employment status, excess skin, female, heart disease, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, household income, human, Humans, hypertension, major clinical study, male, Mental health, Middle Aged, Mixed methods, Morbid, morbid obesity, non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, obesity, physical activity, procedures, psychology, qualitative analysis, quality of life, quantitative analysis, sedentary time, skin irritation, skin malformation, sleep apnea syndromes, social psychology, Social Support, stria, sun exposure},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{baillotFactorsAssociatedExcess2023,

title = {Factors Associated with Excess Skin After Bariatric Surgery: a Mixed-Method Study},

author = {A. Baillot and J. Brunet and L. Lemelin and S. A. Gabriel and M. -F. Langlois and A. Tchernof and L. Biertho and R. Rabasa-Lhoret and P. Y. Garneau and A. Aimé and S. Bouchard and A. J. Romain and P. Bernard},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85163716815&doi=10.1007%2fs11695-023-06698-w&partnerID=40&md5=c86ee43b5f7daf6c350936d38944d013},

doi = {10.1007/s11695-023-06698-w},

issn = {09608923 (ISSN)},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Obesity Surgery},

volume = {33},

number = {8},

pages = {2324–2334},

publisher = {Springer},

abstract = {Purpose: After metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), many patients have excess skin (ES), which can cause inconveniences. Identifying factors related to ES quantity and inconveniences is crucial to inform interventions. The aim of this study was to identify sociodemographic, physical, psychosocial, and behavioral factors associated with ES quantity and inconveniences. Materials and Methods: A mixed-method study with a sequential explanatory design was conducted with 124 adults (92% women, M age 46.5 ± 9.9 years, M time post-MBS 34.2 ± 27.6 months). During phase I, ES quantity (arms, abdomen, thighs) and inconveniences and sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical, and behavioral outcomes were assessed. In phase II, 7 focus groups were performed with 37 participants from phase I. A triangulation protocol was completed to identify convergences, complementarities, and dissonances from quantitative and qualitative data. Results: Quantitative data indicate only ES quantity on arms was associated with ES inconveniences on arms (r =.36, p <.01). Total ES quantity was associated with maximal body mass index (BMI) reached pre-MBS (r =.48, p <.05) and current BMI (r =.35, p <.05). Greater ES inconvenience was associated with higher social physique anxiety and age (R 2 =.50, p <.01). Qualitative data were summarized into 4 themes: psychosocial experiences living with ES, physical ailments due to ES, essential support and unmet needs, and beliefs of ES quantity causes. Conclusion: Measured ES quantity is related to higher BMI, but not reported inconveniences. Greater self-reported ES quantity and inconveniences were associated with body image concerns. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.},

keywords = {adult, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, anthropometry, Anxiety, article, asthma, Bariatric Surgery, body dissatisfaction, body image, body mass, Body Mass Index, controlled study, dermatomycosis, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, employment status, excess skin, female, heart disease, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, household income, human, Humans, hypertension, major clinical study, male, Mental health, Middle Aged, Mixed methods, Morbid, morbid obesity, non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, obesity, physical activity, procedures, psychology, qualitative analysis, quality of life, quantitative analysis, sedentary time, skin irritation, skin malformation, sleep apnea syndromes, social psychology, Social Support, stria, sun exposure},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}