@article{bogie_using_2024,

title = {Using virtual reality to improve verbal episodic memory in schizophrenia: A proof-of-concept trial},

author = {B. J. M. Bogie and C. Noël and F. Gu and S. Nadeau and C. Shvetz and H. Khan and M. -C. Rivard and S. Bouchard and M. Lepage and S. Guimond},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85186986986&doi=10.1016%2fj.scog.2024.100305&partnerID=40&md5=a15c598b45b8f44a40b25fe5fd078a06},

doi = {10.1016/j.scog.2024.100305},

issn = {22150013 (ISSN)},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Schizophrenia Research: Cognition},

volume = {36},

abstract = {Background: Schizophrenia is associated with impairments in verbal episodic memory. Strategy for Semantic Association Memory (SESAME) training represents a promising cognitive remediation program to improve verbal episodic memory. Virtual reality (VR) may be a novel tool to increase the ecological validity and transfer of learned skills of traditional cognitive remediation programs. The present proof-of-concept study aimed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a VR-based cognitive remediation module inspired by SESAME principles to improve the use of verbal episodic memory strategies in schizophrenia. Methods: Thirty individuals with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder completed this study. Participants were randomized to either a VR-based verbal episodic memory training condition inspired by SESAME principles (intervention group) or an active control condition (control group). In the training condition, a coach taught semantic encoding strategies (active rehearsal and semantic clustering) to help participants remember restaurant orders in VR. In the active control condition, participants completed visuospatial puzzles in VR. Attrition rate, participant experience ratings, and cybersickness questionnaires were used to assess feasibility and acceptability. Trial 1 of the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test – Revised was administered pre- and post-intervention to assess preliminary efficacy. Results: Feasibility was demonstrated by a low attrition rate (5.88 %), and acceptability was demonstrated by limited cybersickness and high levels of enjoyment. Although the increase in the number of semantic clusters used following the module did not reach conventional levels of statistical significance in the intervention group, it demonstrated a notable trend with a medium effect size (t = 1.48},

note = {Publisher: Elsevier Inc.},

keywords = {adult, article, clinical article, clinical assessment, Cognitive remediation therapy, cybersickness, disease severity, dizziness, Ecological treatment, Episodic memory, exclusion VR criteria questionnaire, feasibility study, female, Hopkins verbal learning test, human, male, mini international neuropsychiatric interview, nausea, outcome assessment, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Proof of concept, questionnaire, randomized controlled trial, schizophrenia, scoring system, Semantic encoding, Semantics, task performance, training, Verbal memory, virtual reality, vr experience questionnaire},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{guitard_exposure_2019,

title = {Exposure to a standardized catastrophic scenario in virtual reality or a personalized scenario in imagination for Generalized Anxiety Disorder},

author = {T. Guitard and S. Bouchard and C. Bélanger and M. Berthiaume},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85073896961&doi=10.3390%2fjcm8030309&partnerID=40&md5=b80f2e6602416c35dd8e36fd8b19c803},

doi = {10.3390/jcm8030309},

issn = {20770383 (ISSN)},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine},

volume = {8},

number = {3},

abstract = {The cognitive behavioral treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) often involves exposing patients to a catastrophic scenario depicting their most feared worry. The aim of this study was to examine whether a standardized scenario recreated in virtual reality (VR) would elicit anxiety and negative affect and how it compared to the traditional method of imagining a personalized catastrophic scenario. A sample of 28 participants were first exposed to a neutral non-catastrophic scenario and then to a personalized scenario in imagination or a standardized virtual scenario presented in a counterbalanced order. The participants completed questionnaires before and after each immersion. The results suggest that the standardized virtual scenario induced significant anxiety. No difference was found when comparing exposure to the standardized scenario in VR and exposure to the personalized scenario in imagination. These findings were specific to anxiety and not to the broader measure of negative affect. Individual differences in susceptibility to feel present in VR was a significant predictor of increase in anxiety and negative affect. Future research could use these scenarios to conduct a randomized control trial to test the efficacy and cost/benefits of using VR in the treatment of GAD. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.},

note = {Publisher: MDPI},

keywords = {adult, anxiety assessment, article, avoidance behavior, clinical article, cognitive avoidance questionnaire, cognitive behavioral therapy, Cognitive exposure, disease severity, DSM-IV, Exposure in virtual reality, fatigue, female, gatineau presence questionnaire, generalized anxiety disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), human, human experiment, imagination, immersive tendencies questionnaire, Likert scale, male, Middle Aged, mini international neuropsychiatric interview, penn state worry questionnaire, Personalized scenario, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Presence Questionnaire, psychotherapy, questionnaire, Simulator Sickness Questionnaire, Standardized scenario, task performance, test retest reliability, time series analysis, virtual reality},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}