Virtual Reality Applications for the Assessment and Treatment of PTSD
Abstract
War is one of the most challenging situations that a human being can encounter. The physical, emotional, cognitive, and psychological demands of a combat environment place tremendous stress on even the most well-prepared military people. It is no surprise that the stressful experiences, characteristics of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, have produced significant numbers of service members (SMs) and veterans at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as other psychosocial/behavioral health conditions. For example, as of June 2015, the Defense Medical Surveillance System reported 138,197 active duty SMs had been diagnosed with PTSD (Fischer, 2015). In a meta-analysis of studies published since 2001, 13.2% of infantry service members met the criteria for PTSD, with incidence rising dramatically to 25-30% in units with high levels of direct combat exposure (Kok, Herrell, Thomas, and Hoge, 2012). Moreover, as of early 2013, the prevalence of PTSD among discharged veterans receiving treatment at Veteran Affairs (VA) clinics was reported to be 29% (Fischer, 2013). These findings make a compelling case for a continued focus on developing and enhancing the availability of diverse evidence-based treatment options to address this military behavioral healthcare challenge.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1160293
Entities
People
- Albert Rizzo
- Arno Hartholt
- Barbara Rothbaum
- Chris Reist
- JoAnn Difede
- Krista B. Highland
- Michael J. Roy
- Michelle Costanzo
- Seth D. Norrholm
- Tanja Jovanovic
Organizations
- University of Southern California