Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2012 May;22(3):293-300.
doi: 10.1177/1049731511426880.

A Feasibility Study of Virtual Reality-Based Coping Skills Training for Nicotine Dependence

Patrick S Bordnick  1 , Amy C Traylor  2 , Brian L Carter  1 , Ken M Graap  3
Affiliations

A Feasibility Study of Virtual Reality-Based Coping Skills Training for Nicotine Dependence

Patrick S Bordnick et al. Res Soc Work Pract. 2012 May.

Abstract

Objective: Virtual reality (VR)-based cue reactivity has been successfully used for the assessment of drug craving. Going beyond assessment of cue reactivity, a novel VR-based treatment approach for smoking cessation was developed and tested for feasibility.

Method: In a randomized experiment, 10-week treatment feasibility trial, 46 nicotine-dependent adults, completed the10-week program. Virtual reality skills training (VRST) combined with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) was compared to NRT alone. Participants were assessed for smoking behavior and coping skills during, at end of treatment, and at posttreatment follow-up.

Results: Smoking rates and craving for nicotine were significantly lower for the VRST group compared to NRT-only group at the end of treatment. Self-confidence and coping skills were also significantly higher for the VRST group, and number of cigarettes smoked was significantly lower, compared to the control group at follow-up.

Conclusions: Feasibility of VRST was supported in the current study.

Keywords: addictions; behavior therapy; cognitive–behavioral; coping skills; craving; individual intervention; nicotine dependence; quantitative; randomized experiment; virtual reality.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Dr. Bordnick, Dr. Traylor, and Dr. Carter do not have conflicts of interest or financial interests in Virtually Better, Inc. Mr. Graap is employed by CNS Response and he states no conflict of interest in this research.

Declaration of interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Screen shots of virtual reality (VR) scenarios.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Virtual reality clinical equipment setup.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Smoking Confidence Questionnaire (SCQ) scores between groups at long-term follow-up.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th ed., text revision. Washington, DC: Author; 2000.
    1. Araujo RB, Olivera MS, Pedroso RS, Castro MG. Coping strategies for craving management in nicotine dependent patients. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria. 2009;31:89–94. - PubMed
    1. Bordnick PS, Graap KM, Copp HL, Brooks J, Ferrer M. VR cue reactivity assessment in cigarette smokers. CyberPsychology & Behavior. 2005;8:487–492. - PubMed
    1. Bordnick PS, Graap KM, Copp HL, Brooks JS, Ferrer M, Logue B. Utilizing virtual reality to standardize nicotine craving research: A pilot study. Addictive Behaviors. 2004;29:1889–1894. - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking-attributable mortality, years of potential life lost, and productivity losses-United States. Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 2008;57:1226–1228. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources