Relação entre tecnologia e intervenção profissional do psicólogo: no caso da ansiedade e impacto dos níveis de atividade física na depressão, ansiedade, stress e comportamentos alimentares
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2019-04-30
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As perturbações de ansiedade são patologias debilitantes que prejudicam e diminuem a qualidade de vida das pessoas afetadas. Com as novas tecnologias surgiram novas formas de intervenção terapêutica em saúde mental, nomeadamente a utilização da Realidade Virtual na terapia de exposição. Este estudo teve como objetivo principal avaliar se através de exposição à Realidade Virtual, se verificam alterações na sintomatologia ansiosa e atividade fisiológica dos participantes. A amostra foi constituída por 11 utentes adultos diagnosticados com algum tipo de perturbação de ansiedade, e que ao longo de quatro sessões foram expostos e imersos num cenário relaxante de Realidade Virtual, em que poderiam observar o ambiente virtual que os rodeava, enquanto ouviam o som 3D natural do cenário. Como medida de avaliação quantitativa, foi utilizada a Escala de Ansiedade, Depressão e Stress-21 (DASS-21), que era aplicada no início e no fim de cada sessão de exposição à Realidade Virtual. Enquanto os participantes visionavam o vídeo, era-lhes medida a atividade fisiológica (frequência cardíaca e condutância de pele) para verificar se existiam alterações a nível fisiológico com a exposição a um cenário relaxante. Os resultados demonstram, no geral, que com a realização de quatro sessões de exposição à Realidade Virtual foi possível notar alterações significativas na sintomatologia ansiosa dos participantes, nas dimensões avaliadas pela DASS-21. Quanto à medição dos marcadores fisiológicos, foi possível observar que se verificaram alterações nos valores que sugerem um impacto na atividade fisiológica ligada à ansiedade.
Anxiety disorders are debilitating pathologies that impair and decrease the quality of life of those affected. With the new technologies, new forms of therapeutic intervention in mental health have emerged, namely the use of Virtual Reality in exposure therapy. The main objective of this study was to evaluate whether, through exposure to the Virtual Reality, there were alterations in the anxious symptomatology and physiological activity of the participants. The sample consisted of 11 adult patients diagnosed with some type of anxiety disorder, and during four sessions were exposed and immersed in a relaxing scenario of Virtual Reality, where they could observe the virtual environment that surrounded them, while listening to the 3D natural sound of the scenery. As a measure of quantitative evaluation, the Anxiety, Depression and Stress-21 Scale (DASS-21) was used, which was applied at the beginning and end of each session of exposure to Virtual Reality. While participants viewed the video, they measured their physiological activity (heart rate and skin conductance) to see if there were changes at physiological level with exposure to a relaxing setting. The results demonstrate, in general, that with the accomplishment of four sessions of exposure to the Virtual Reality it was possible to notice significant alterations in the participants' anxious symptomology, in the dimensions evaluated by the DASS-21. Regarding the measurement of the physiological markers, it was possible to observe that there were alterations in the values that suggest an impact on the physiological activity linked to anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are debilitating pathologies that impair and decrease the quality of life of those affected. With the new technologies, new forms of therapeutic intervention in mental health have emerged, namely the use of Virtual Reality in exposure therapy. The main objective of this study was to evaluate whether, through exposure to the Virtual Reality, there were alterations in the anxious symptomatology and physiological activity of the participants. The sample consisted of 11 adult patients diagnosed with some type of anxiety disorder, and during four sessions were exposed and immersed in a relaxing scenario of Virtual Reality, where they could observe the virtual environment that surrounded them, while listening to the 3D natural sound of the scenery. As a measure of quantitative evaluation, the Anxiety, Depression and Stress-21 Scale (DASS-21) was used, which was applied at the beginning and end of each session of exposure to Virtual Reality. While participants viewed the video, they measured their physiological activity (heart rate and skin conductance) to see if there were changes at physiological level with exposure to a relaxing setting. The results demonstrate, in general, that with the accomplishment of four sessions of exposure to the Virtual Reality it was possible to notice significant alterations in the participants' anxious symptomology, in the dimensions evaluated by the DASS-21. Regarding the measurement of the physiological markers, it was possible to observe that there were alterations in the values that suggest an impact on the physiological activity linked to anxiety.
Descrição
Dissertação de Mestrado em Psicologia Clínica
Palavras-chave
Realidade Virtual , Tecnologia , Terapia de exposição à realidade virtual , Perturbações de ansiedade