Effect of neurofeedback therapy based on virtual reality technology on anxiety in patients with anxiety disorder

Background: Neurofeedback method and virtual reality technology are used as relatively new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of diseases and disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of neurofeedback therapy based on the virtual reality technology on anxiety in patients with anxiety disorder.Methods: The present cross sectional study included adolescents with anxiety complaints referring to psychiatrists at the specialized clinic of Kermanshah health center in ۲۰۱۵, April and May. The sampling method was convenience sampling and the sample size was five people. Demographic questionnaire, including information on age, education, marital status, and employment status of patients, and Beck Anxiety Inventory were used to collect the data. Participants were treated with neurofeedback based on virtual reality technology in three sessions. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version ۲۱.۰.Results: Participants ranged between ۲۴ and ۵۶ years and all five participants were female (۱۰۰%). Mean (SD) of anxiety for all participants in the pre-test phase was ۳۷.۰ (۵.۸۵) while it decreased to ۱۳.۶ (۶.۸۰) (P<۰.۰۱) after the intervention. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the mean anxiety scores in the pre-test phase and the post-test scores at the level of P<۰.۰۱. In the follow-up phase, the mean anxiety score was ۸.۶ (۳.۰۵) after two months of posttest (P<۰.۰۱).Conclusion: According to the results of the study, virtual reality technology based neurofeedback therapy reduces anxiety in people with anxiety disorder.