The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Therapy by VR (Virtual-Reality) With a Focus on Death Anxiety in a Patient With Cerebellar Cancer (Case Report)
Shahin Fahiminia, Afshin Salahiyan, Mahtab Norouzi
International Clinical Neuroscience Journal March 20, 2019 DOI: 10.15171/icnj.2019.07 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A patient with cerebellar cancer |
| Interventions | Mindfulness therapy Virtual reality (VR) |
| Duration | 3 consultations in the first week, then 8 sessions of 2 hours each; VR introduced in the second week |
| Measures | Beck anxiety |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | The authors report that mindfulness therapy assisted by virtual reality was associated with improvements in blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature toward normal levels and with notable patient satisfaction during sessions. They conclude that this complementary approach has considerable efficacy for improving quality of life in the cancer patient, though the single-case design limits generalization. |
Abstract
Background: Cancer has many potential physical, psychological and social consequences for the patient. This single case study explored the efficiency of mindfulness therapy with the aid of virtual reality (VR) focusing on minimizing anxiety especially death anxiety in a patient with cerebellar cancer.
Methods: In this case study research the patient met and consulted 3 times in the first week, and the aim of these meetings was to break the patient’s resistance through meditation and psychological treatment. After that, 8 sessions each one 2 hours were planned at the patient’s home. In the second week, a subsidiary device called VR (large eye crystal capable of playing 3D film) was used as a method to assist the patient.
Results: The data collected from the pre/posttest of Beck anxiety showed significant progress in blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature, and increased up to its normal levels. In addition, the sense of satisfaction expressed by the patient during the sessions was noticeably significant.
Conclusion: According to results mindfulness therapy by VR with a focus on anxiety reduction as a complementary therapy has remarkable efficacy on improving quality of life in the cancer patient.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persistent Palinopsia Following Ingestion of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) Patients who developed persistent palinopsia after LSD ingestion | 1996 | Case series | n = 3 |
| Cannabis‐induced Koro in Americans American men aged 22-26 with years of cannabis experience who reported negative... | 2001 | Case series | n = 3 |
| Psilocybin and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Individual with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | 2014 | Case study | n = 1 |
| LSD-Like Panic From Risperidone in Post-LSD Visual Disorder Patients with hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder (HPPD) | 1996 | Case study | n = 3 |
| Ketamine-Enhanced Psychotherapy: Preliminary Clinical Observations on its Effects in Treating Death Anxiety Terminally-ill people suffering death anxiety | 2007 | Review and case study | n = 2 |