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. 2023 May 6;20(9):5735.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph20095735.

Comparison between Standard Expository Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E) and Immersive Virtual Reality CBT (CBT-VR) for Rehabilitation of Patients Affected by Occupational Stress Disorders: Study Protocol

Rodolfo Buselli  1   2 , Martina Corsi  1   2 , Antonello Veltri  1   2 , Riccardo Marino  1   2   3 , Fabrizio Caldi  1 , Paolo Del Guerra  4 , Giovanni Guglielmi  1 , Camilla Tanca  5 , Massimo Paoli  6 , Vincenzo Maria Calabretta  7 , Salvio Perretta  1 , Rudy Foddis  1   3 , Marcello Antonio Carrozzino  5
Affiliations

Comparison between Standard Expository Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E) and Immersive Virtual Reality CBT (CBT-VR) for Rehabilitation of Patients Affected by Occupational Stress Disorders: Study Protocol

Rodolfo Buselli et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Work-related stress presents a significant impact on work performance and physical health. It has been associated with the onset of a multitude of symptoms that can lead to occupational stress diseases, namely Adjustment Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The literature has evidenced that "exposure therapy" of cognitive-behavioral training (CBT-E) seems to be the most effective technique to manage stress symptoms, including work stress diseases, and several studies have considered Virtual Reality (VR) as an adjuvant tool to exposure-based psychotherapy (CBT-VR) for the treatment of multiple psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of CBT with exposure to stressful work scenarios in imaginative (CBT-E) and in immersive virtual reality (CBT-VR) scenarios in a group of workers affected by work-related stress disorders and compare the clinical and physiological outcomes between the two exposure techniques. A long-term goal would be to develop an evidence-based rehabilitation program as a treatment for the reintegration into work of patients affected by these psychiatric disorders.

Keywords: adjustment disorder; anxiety; cognitive-behavior therapy; depression; occupational stress; virtual reality; work-related stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Theoretical model of the study protocol.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Study procedures.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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