Virtual Reality Environment for Body Image Modification: A Multidimensional Therapy for the Treatment of Body Image in Obesity and Related Pathologies

Riva, Giuseppe; Bacchetta, Monica; Baruffi, Margherita; G, Cirillo; Molinari, Enrico

doi:10.1089/10949310050078887

Cited by 55 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…In previous studies, a preliminary version of this approach was tested on clinical and non-clinical subjects in Phase I and Phase II trials. 82,83,[85][86][87] Patients Three hundred consecutive patients seeking treatment at the Obesity Unit of the Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Verbania, Italy (a medically managed intensive inpatient Unit) were seen for screening interviews for admission to the study. Criteria for participation in the study included the following: (1) women aged 18-50 years; (2) a BMI > 40; (3) no other concurrent severe psychiatric disturbances (psychosis, depression with suicidal risk, alcohol or drug abuse); (4) no concurrent medical condition not related to the disorder; (5) one or more failures in following an obesity treatment; and (5) written and informed consent to participate.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Severe Obesity a Form of Addiction?: Rationale, Clinical Approach, and Controlled Clinical Trial

Riva

Bacchetta

Cesa

et al. 2006

CyberPsychology & Behavior

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For many, obesity is just a problem of energy input and expenditure: more energy input than expenditure. However, the clinical practice and epidemiological data clearly show that weight control is more complex than expected by this simple equation. This is particularly true in morbid obesity, a form of severe obesity in which a person's Body Mass Index (BMI, kg/m(2)) is over 40. If we compare the definitions and diagnostic criteria for "dependence" and "addiction" with the situation of many severe obese subjects, it is apparent that they match very well. Further, different neurological studies confirm this similarity: both addiction and obesity patients have a deficiency of dopamine receptors. Nevertheless, when we compare many of the actual obesity treatments with the ones used in the area of addictions it is possible to find relevant differences: obesity treatments neither consider different levels of type and intensity of care, nor a multidimensional approach. To overcome these limitations, in this paper we propose a bio-psychosocial approach in which the genetic influence (lack of dopamine receptors) is matched by psychosocial issues (pressure for thinness and diet as main body image dissatisfaction treatment). Further, the paper outlines how this approach may influence the treatment options, by focusing both on the lessons coming from actual addiction treatment and the opportunities offered by virtual reality. Finally, the paper presents and discusses the outcome of a controlled trial, based on the proposed approach, including a 6-month follow-up (211 morbid obese females with a BMI of >40 and a documented history of failures.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Severe Obesity a Form of Addiction?: Rationale, Clinical Approach, and Controlled Clinical Trial

Riva

Bacchetta

Cesa

et al. 2006

CyberPsychology & Behavior

Self Cite

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“…Moreover, the patient presented a high degree of motivation to change. Expanding these results, the researchers carried out different clinical trials on female patients [40][41][42][43] ; 25 patients suffering from binge-eating disorders were included in the first study, 20 in the second, and 18 with obesity in the third. At the end of the inpatient treatments, the patients from each sample significantly modified their bodily awareness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual Reality in Psychotherapy: Review

Riva

2005

CyberPsychology & Behavior

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Virtual reality (VR) has recently emerged as a potentially effective way to provide general and specialty health care services, and appears poised to enter mainstream psychotherapy delivery. Because VR could be part of the future of clinical psychology, it is critical to all psychotherapists that it be defined broadly. To ensure appropriate development of VR applications, clinicians must have a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges it will provide in professional practice. This review outlines the current state of clinical research relevant to the development of virtual environments for use in psychotherapy. In particular, the paper focuses its analysis on both actual applications of VR in clinical psychology and how different clinical perspectives can use this approach to improve the process of therapeutic change.

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“…Several research groups, such as Riva et al [68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77] and Perpiñ a et al, [78][79][80] have already developed VR environments for the treatment of body-image disturbances and for assessing the changes obtained. The results of these research groups corroborate the usefulness of VR technology in this field.…”

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confidence: 99%

Body Image in Eating Disorders: The Influence of Exposure to Virtual-Reality Environments

Gutiérrez-Maldonado

Ferrer-García

Caqueo-Urízar

et al. 2010

Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking

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The aim of this article was to study the effect of virtual-reality exposure to situations that are emotionally significant for patients with eating disorders (ED) on the stability of body-image distortion and body-image dissatisfaction. A total of 85 ED patients and 108 non-ED students were randomly exposed to four experimental virtual environments: a kitchen with low-calorie food, a kitchen with high-calorie food, a restaurant with lowcalorie food, and a restaurant with high-calorie food. In the interval between the presentation of each situation, body-image distortion and body-image dissatisfaction were assessed. Several 2Â2Â2 repeated measures analyses of variance (high-calorie vs. low-calorie foodÂpresence vs. absence of peopleÂED group vs. control group) showed that ED participants had significantly higher levels of body-image distortion and body dissatisfaction after eating high-calorie food than after eating low-calorie food, while control participants reported a similar body image in all situations. The results suggest that body-image distortion and body-image dissatisfaction show both trait and state features. On the one hand, ED patients show a general predisposition to overestimate their body size and to feel more dissatisfied with their body image than controls. On the other hand, these body-image disturbances fluctuate when participants are exposed to virtual situations that are emotionally relevant for them.

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Virtual Reality Environment for Body Image Modification: A Multidimensional Therapy for the Treatment of Body Image in Obesity and Related Pathologies

Cited by 55 publications

References 39 publications

Is Severe Obesity a Form of Addiction?: Rationale, Clinical Approach, and Controlled Clinical Trial

Is Severe Obesity a Form of Addiction?: Rationale, Clinical Approach, and Controlled Clinical Trial

Virtual Reality in Psychotherapy: Review

Body Image in Eating Disorders: The Influence of Exposure to Virtual-Reality Environments

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