N/A
N=89
Targeting Reconsolidation to Prevent Return of Fear
Fear of Flying
Bottom Line
View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01623830 ↗Enrolled (actual)
89
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Feb 2017
Primary outcome: Primary: Fear of Flying Inventory (FFI) — 65.55; 76.57 units on a scale
Study Design & Population
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- N/A
- Interventions
- Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (Behavioral)
- Age
- Adult, Older Adult · 18+ yrs
- Sex
- All
- Sponsor
- Emory University
- Primary completion
- Jun 2015
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Fear of Flying Inventory (FFI) |
65.55; 76.57 | — |
| PRIMARY The Questionnaire on Attitudes Toward Flying (QAF) |
126.29; 123.46 | — |
| SECONDARY The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) |
4.26; 3.6 | — |
| SECONDARY State Trait Anxiety Inventory- State (STAI-State) |
45.97; 46.29 | — |
| SECONDARY State Trait Anxiety Inventory- Trait (STAI-Trait) |
44.83; 45.81 | — |
Summary
The overall aim of this project is to determine if using a cue to trigger (and reactivate) the fear memory 10 minutes prior to exposure treatment sessions leads to less anxiety in patients with a fear of flying. The long term goals are to establish if targeting the reconsolidation of fear with a reminder of the fear is effective for human clinical populations in reducing relapse (return of fear). In this investigation, the investigators propose to treat 64 patients diagnosed with a fear of flying (FOF) using virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE). All patients in the study will receive exactly the same exposure treatment using a virtual airplane.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- Adult participants, male and female, ages 18-70;
- Participants must meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for specific phobia, situational type or panic disorder with agoraphobia, in which flying is the primary feared stimulus, or agoraphobia without a history of panic disorder, in which flying is a feared stimulus; Participants may have comorbid depression or anxiety disorders to increase generalizability of sample, but fear of flying must be the primary complaint;
- Participants must have flown at least once before;
- Participants on psychoactive medications must be stabilized on that dose and medication for at least three months, and must agree to remain on that dose throughout the project. All assessments will include a form inquiring about any medication changes, and participants on medications will be monitored by their prescribing physician; and
- Participants must be literate in English.
Exclusion Criteria
- Patients with current or history of mania, schizophrenia, or other psychoses;
- Patients with current (past 3 months) prominent suicidal ideation;
- Patients with current alcohol or drug abuse/dependence; and
- Patients unable to wear the virtual reality head mounted display for any reason (i.e. due to panic disorder, head discomfort, etc.)
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01623830). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.