Clinical Validation of a Virtual Environment for Normalizing Eating Patterns in Eating Disorders.

Clinical validation of a virtual environment for normalizing eating patterns in eating disorders.

Compr Psychiatry. 2013 Feb 26;
Perpiñá C, Roncero M, Fernández-Aranda F, Jiménez-Murcia S, Forcano L, Sánchez I

The purpose of the present study was to examine the clinical validation of a Virtual Reality Environment (VRE) designed to normalize eating patterns in Eating Disorders (ED). The efficacy of VR in eliciting emotions, sense of presence and reality of the VRE were explored in 22 ED patients and 37 healthy eating individuals. The VRE (non-immersive) consisted of a kitchen room where participants had to eat a virtual pizza. In order to assess the sense of presence and reality produced by the VRE, participants answered seven questions with a Likert scale (0-10) during the experience, and then filled out the Reality Judgment and Presence Questionnaire (RJPQ) and ITC-Sense of Presence Inventory (ITC-SOPI). The results showed that the VRE induced a sense of presence and was felt as real for both groups, without differences in the experience of “ease” with the VRE, sense of physical space, or the ecological validity assigned to the virtual kitchen and eating virtually. However, the ED patients reported paying more attention and experiencing greater emotional involvement and dysphoria after virtual eating. The results suggest that the VRE was clinically meaningful to the ED patients and might be a relevant therapy tool for normalizing their eating patterns. HubMed – eating

Separation Anxiety in Children Ages 4 Through 9 with Oral Clefts.

Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2013 Mar 1;
Tyler MC, Wehby GL, Robbins JM, Damiano PC

Background:? Psychosocial research on children with oral clefts (OCs), i.e., clefts of the lip, palate, or lip and palate, has suggested that these children may have higher rates of anxiety in general, but overall results have been equivocal. In this study we estimated the prevalence of separation anxiety disorder (SAD) in a population-based sample of children with OCs and identified associated risk factors. Methods:? Parents of 279 children with OCs, identified through three state birth defect registries, responded to a postal survey that included the Separation Anxiety subscale of the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) and items regarding the child’s OC and its sequelae, parent and child health, parent mental health, family structure, and socioeconomic status indicators. Associations with SA were evaluated using bivariate and multivariate statistics. Results:? One quarter (24%) of the children screened positive for SAD, which was substantially higher than the U.S. child population estimates of 3% to 5%. OC-related impairments in speaking and eating more than doubled the risk of SAD, as did lower socioeconomic status and lower maternal health rating. Maternal mental health and marital status remained in the logistic model but were not significant. Conclusions:? Children with OCs appear to be at increased risk for SAD as measured by the SCARED instrument. OC-related problems with speech and eating more than doubled the risk of SAD. The use of targeted screening tools may help refine our understanding of psychosocial adjustment in children with OCs. HubMed – eating