Realidade virtual como recurso para terapia comportamental do medo de altura

portuguesA Realidade Virtual tem sido utilizada na terapia de exposicao de diversos transtornos na chamada Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET). No tratamento de medo de altura, seu uso pode ser vantajoso, pois possibilita maior seguranca durante a exposicao. Este estudo investigou os efeitos de um procedimento de intervencao comportamental com analise de contingencias dos comportamentos, combinado a VRET no tratamento de medo e fobia de altura; simultaneamente, avaliou o simulador Virtua Therapy quanto a sua capacidade de gerar senso de presenca; e avalair os efeitos de cybersickness produzidos por esse simulador. Em um delineamento de linha de base multipla nao concorrente, 10 participantes foram distribuidos em tres grupos. Foram utilizados: o simulador Virtua Therapy, um galvanometro e questionarios/ inventarios. O procedimento envolveu uma entrevista inicial, duas a quatro sessoes de linha de base, seis sessoes de intervencao, uma sessao de encerramento e duas sessoes de follow-up. Houve relatos de senso de presenca e de diminuicao do medo, da ansiedade e do perigo apos a intervencao. Os efeitos de cybersickness, embora tenham ocorrido, diminuiram nas primeiras sessoes. Observou-se uma reducao estatisticamente significante referente ao medo de altura e um aumento de comportamentos de enfrentamento de alturas no dia a dia, apos a intervencao. EnglishThe use of virtual reality (VR) technology is increasingly widespread concerning therapeutic applications in various fields of professional interventions, especially in the health and education areas. In Psychology, specifically in psychotherapy, the VR in exposure therapy for diver’s anxiety disorders has increased considerably in recent years. Its use can be advantageous in the treatment of fear of heights because it allows better safety during exposure. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a behavioral intervention procedure combined with Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) on the treatment of height fear and phobia; and at the same time, to evaluate the Virtua Therapy simulator for its capacity to generate sense of presence, and to evaluate the effects of cybersickness produced by that simulator. In a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design, a total of 10 participants were assigned to Group 1 (4 participants), Group 2 (3 participants), and Group 3 (3 participants). The Virtua Therapy simulator enabled exposure to virtual scenarios. A galvanometer was used to measure the galvanic skin response. Questionnaires/inventories were used to verbal measurements of acrophobia, cybersickness, sense of presence. The procedure consisted of an initial interview, two to four baseline sessions, six intervention sessions, one final session, and two follow-up sessions. The groups showed stability regarding sense of presence in the baseline sessions, and the effects of cybersickness diminished during the first sessions. The Behavioral Avoidance Test applied before and after the intervention showed a statistically significant reduction in data regarding fear, anxiety, and danger sense. Functional analysis of behavior contributed to increasing heights coping behaviors in heights situations of daily life. These results suggest that the simulator produced sense of presence and anxiety and that the therapeutic procedure led to a reduction in fear of heights, proving to be suitable for interventions that combine virtual reality with behavioral therapy.