Efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy on symptoms of acrophobia and anxiety sensitivity in adolescent girls: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Acrophobia is a specific phobia characterized by a severe fear of heights. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of two therapies that may ameliorate symptoms of acrophobia and anxiety sensitivity, i.e., virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy with a Waiting List Control Condition (WLCC). Methods: We applied a three-armed randomized controlled pre-post-test design with 45 female adolescent students. Students who met DSM-5 criteria for acrophobia were randomly assigned to either VRET (N = 15; Mage = 17.26; SD = 1.32), EMDR (N = 15; Mage = 17.15; SD = 1.57), or a WLCC (N = 15; Mage = 17.50; SD = 1.26). The study groups were evaluated one week before the intervention and one week after the last intervention session regarding symptoms of acrophobia (Severity Measure for Acrophobia) and anxiety sensitivity (Anxiety Sensitivity Index). Results: The data showed that both the application of VRET and EMDR therapy were associated with significantly reduced symptoms of acrophobia (d = 1.03 for VRET and d = 1.08 for EMDR) and anxiety sensitivity (d = 1.15 for VRET and d = 1.13 for EMDR) in comparison to the Waiting List. Limitations: The sample consisted only of adolescent women. Due to the recognizable differences between the two interventions, the therapists and the participants were not blind to the conditions. Conclusion: The results suggest that both VRET and EMDR are interventions that can significantly improve symptoms of acrophobia and anxiety sensitivity in female adolescents. Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.irct.ir/trial/57391, identifier: IRCT20210213050343N1.

The effect of neurofeedback training combined with computer cognitive games on the time perception, attention, and working memory in children with ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of neurofeedback (NF) based on quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) and SmartMind game on the time perception, attention, and working memory of children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) through an experimental design. METHOD: Using a purposive sampling method, 32 male students diagnosed with ADHD were selected and then randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received the treatment (NF + SmartMind) for 30 weekly sessions. Children's performances on a time perception test, a Continuous Performance Test (CPT), and a Wechsler working memory test (WISC) were examined before and after the intervention. RESULTS: A significant difference was observed between the mean scores of the pretest and post-test for the experimental group, implying that NF training improved short-time perception and long-time perception attention in CPT test: omission error component, Correct Response component, and working memory: Visual forward component. However, the treatment did not have a significant effect on the commission error component (CPT), working memory in terms of the visual reverse, auditory reverse, and auditory forward components. CONCLUSION: NF combined with computer cognitive games (CCGs) can improve time perception, attention, and working memory in children with ADHD.

Epidemiology of body dysmorphic disorder among adolescents: A study of their cognitive functions.

BACKGROUND: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterized by a preoccupation with an imagined defect in one's appearance. In case of a slight physical anomaly, the person would experience an excessive concern. This disorder causes cognitive dysfunction. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine epidemiology of body dysmorphic disorder among students at secondary schools of the first and second stage in Shiraz, Iran. It also compares executive functions in students with BDD to healthy students. METHODS: The Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire (BDDQ), Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT),Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Tower of London test (ToL), and Trail Making Test (TMT) were measured in participants with BDD (N = 52; Mage  = 16.20; SD = 1.03) and healthy control group (N = 52; Mage  = 15.91; SD = 0.96). RESULTS: The frequency of BDD was significantly higher in women than men (14.8% vs. 6.8%), and its prevalence was 10.4% in total. There was a significant difference between the two groups of students concerning attentional set-shifting, inhibition of cognitive interference, visual-spatial searching, and sequencing, but not problem-solving tasks. CONCLUSIONS: Students with BDD have cognitive deficits, which need to be addressed in cognitive rehabilitation.

Effect of combined neurofeedback and game-based cognitive training on the treatment of ADHD: A randomized controlled study.

Neurofeedback (NF) is referred to as a "possibly efficacious" treatment in the current evidence-based reviews; therefore, more research is needed to determine its effects especially in combination with other treatments. The present study examines the effect of NF and game-based cognitive training on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Thirty-two male students with ADHD were assigned to NF (N = 16; Mage=10.20; SD = 1.03) and waiting list control (N = 16; Mage = 10.05; SD = 0.83) in a randomized double-blind trial. The children in the NF group based on quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) attended 30 three times-weekly sessions. The children were examined in pretest and post-test with EEG, Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance (IVA), and Conners Parent, and Teacher Rating Scales-Revised. The treatment was found significant all the symptom variables except for attention deficit (AD) and auditory response control (ARC). Normalization of the atypical EEG features with reduced [Formula: see text] wave and increased sensory motor (SMR) activity in central zero (Cz) was recorded in the NF condition participants. However, except for SMR activity there were no significant changes in the waves of frontocentral zero (FCz). It is concluded that technology developments provide an interesting vehicle for interposing interventions and that combined NF and game-based cognitive training can produce positive therapeutic effects on brainwaves and ADHD symptomatology.

Comparing executive functions between patients with chronic asthma and healthy subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Allergic diseases have different levels of prevalence all over the world. Among them, asthma is the most common chronic disease. Up to now, little attention has been paid to the impact of this chronic disease on people's executive functions. The present study aimed at comparing the executive functions in patients with chronic asthma and healthy subjects. METHODS: The study population was patients with chronic asthma who were referred to Al-Zahra hospital in Isfahan Province and their visitors who were assigned as the control group. Thirty patients with chronic asthma and 30 patient visitors were enrolled in this study, and three software programs (Wisconsin, Stroop, and Continuous Performance Tests) were used. RESULTS: The results of multivariate variance analysis showed that there is a significant difference between patients with chronic asthma and healthy subjects in terms of set shifting, inhibition, and attention performance. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that the executive functions of patients with chronic asthma have significant defects.