Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Technology-enhanced in vivo exposures in Prolonged Exposure for PTSD: A pilot randomized controlled trial

2022; Elsevier BV; Volume: 156; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.10.056

1879-1379

Tanya C. Saraiya, Amber M. Jarnecke, Alex O. Rothbaum, Bethany C. Wangelin, Lisa M. McTeague, Ron Acierno, Delisa G. Brown, Emily Bristol, Hayley Feigl, Mclain Reese, Adam R. Cobb, Bill Harley, Robert J. Adams, Sudie E. Back,

Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

In vivo exposures (IVEs) are a key component of exposure-based treatments, during which patients approach fear-provoking, yet safe, situations in "real life." This pilot study assessed the use of a wearable technology (Bio Ware) during IVEs to enhance Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy for PTSD. Bio Ware provides a clinician dashboard with real-time physiological and subjective data for clinicians to use for virtually guided IVEs. Participants (N = 40) were randomized to a Guided group that received standard PE and virtual, clinician-guided IVEs with the Bio Ware device, or a Non-Guided group that received standard PE and used the Bio Ware device on their own for IVEs. Multilevel linear models with bootstrapping were completed on the intent-to-treat (ITT; N = 39) and per-protocol samples (PP; n = 23), defined as completing at least eight sessions of PE and using the Bio Ware system during ≥ 1 IVEs. In the PP sample, there were significant effects of treatment condition (b = -14.55, SE = 1.47, 95% CI [-17.58, -11.78], p < .001) and time (b = -1.98, SE = 0.25, 95% CI [-2.47, -1.48], p < .001). While both groups showed reductions in PTSD symptoms, the Guided group evidenced significantly greater reductions than the Non-Guided group. These findings demonstrate the feasibility and safety of leveraging Bio Ware for virtual, clinician-guided IVEs during PE therapy for PTSD and suggest that virtual, clinician-guided exposures may enhance treatment outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04471207.