Investigating the effectiveness of ailurophobia treatment using virtual reality technique compared to metacognitive therapy: a randomized clinical trial
Abstract Background Fear of cats as a specific phobia disorder can cause disruption in some aspects of the affected people’s lives. On the other hand, due to the fact that the two approaches of metacognitive treatment and behavioral therapy methods such as virtual reality are considered common treat...
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2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02378-9 |
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| author | Alireza Ebrahimi Farzad Akbarzadeh Negar Asgharipour Razie Salehabadi Malihe Arjamandi |
| author_facet | Alireza Ebrahimi Farzad Akbarzadeh Negar Asgharipour Razie Salehabadi Malihe Arjamandi |
| author_sort | Alireza Ebrahimi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Fear of cats as a specific phobia disorder can cause disruption in some aspects of the affected people’s lives. On the other hand, due to the fact that the two approaches of metacognitive treatment and behavioral therapy methods such as virtual reality are considered common treatment methods in anxiety disorders; It seems that it is necessary to examine the two approaches based on the effectiveness, durability and cost-benefit issue to present and introduce to therapists. Methods The present study was a Randomized Clinical Trial study that was conducted on 28 patients with Ailurophobia. Based on simple random sampling, the participants were allocated in two groups: metacognitive intervention and virtual reality intervention. In order to collect data, demographic information questionnaire, cat anxiety questionnaire and researcher-made cat fear questionnaire were used. Data analysis was done with SPSS version 22 software and statistical tests of chi-square, t, analysis of variance. An alpha level of less than 0.05 was considered as a significant level. Results The results of the study showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the average anxiety score in the two groups of virtual reality and metacognitive therapy (P˂0.001). So that in the virtual reality group, the anxiety score was significantly reduced. Also, other results of the study indicated that the mean score of the fear of cats scale was significantly lower in the virtual reality group than in the metacognitive therapy group (P˂0.001). Conclusions Although both treatment approaches based on virtual reality and metacognition are effective in reducing the level of anxiety and fear of cats in patients with Ailurophobia; However, the effectiveness and continuity of treatment in people receiving virtual reality treatment are more significant. IRCT registration number IRCT20230105057057N1. Registration date: 2023-03-04. Registry Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-440d04c6dec740f093467200b5f08145 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2050-7283 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-440d04c6dec740f093467200b5f081452025-01-19T12:43:54ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832025-01-0113111010.1186/s40359-025-02378-9Investigating the effectiveness of ailurophobia treatment using virtual reality technique compared to metacognitive therapy: a randomized clinical trialAlireza Ebrahimi0Farzad Akbarzadeh1Negar Asgharipour2Razie Salehabadi3Malihe Arjamandi4Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical SciencesPsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical SciencesPsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical SciencesPsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical SciencesPsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical SciencesAbstract Background Fear of cats as a specific phobia disorder can cause disruption in some aspects of the affected people’s lives. On the other hand, due to the fact that the two approaches of metacognitive treatment and behavioral therapy methods such as virtual reality are considered common treatment methods in anxiety disorders; It seems that it is necessary to examine the two approaches based on the effectiveness, durability and cost-benefit issue to present and introduce to therapists. Methods The present study was a Randomized Clinical Trial study that was conducted on 28 patients with Ailurophobia. Based on simple random sampling, the participants were allocated in two groups: metacognitive intervention and virtual reality intervention. In order to collect data, demographic information questionnaire, cat anxiety questionnaire and researcher-made cat fear questionnaire were used. Data analysis was done with SPSS version 22 software and statistical tests of chi-square, t, analysis of variance. An alpha level of less than 0.05 was considered as a significant level. Results The results of the study showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the average anxiety score in the two groups of virtual reality and metacognitive therapy (P˂0.001). So that in the virtual reality group, the anxiety score was significantly reduced. Also, other results of the study indicated that the mean score of the fear of cats scale was significantly lower in the virtual reality group than in the metacognitive therapy group (P˂0.001). Conclusions Although both treatment approaches based on virtual reality and metacognition are effective in reducing the level of anxiety and fear of cats in patients with Ailurophobia; However, the effectiveness and continuity of treatment in people receiving virtual reality treatment are more significant. IRCT registration number IRCT20230105057057N1. Registration date: 2023-03-04. Registry Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02378-9AilurophobiaVirtual realityMetacognition |
| spellingShingle | Alireza Ebrahimi Farzad Akbarzadeh Negar Asgharipour Razie Salehabadi Malihe Arjamandi Investigating the effectiveness of ailurophobia treatment using virtual reality technique compared to metacognitive therapy: a randomized clinical trial BMC Psychology Ailurophobia Virtual reality Metacognition |
| title | Investigating the effectiveness of ailurophobia treatment using virtual reality technique compared to metacognitive therapy: a randomized clinical trial |
| title_full | Investigating the effectiveness of ailurophobia treatment using virtual reality technique compared to metacognitive therapy: a randomized clinical trial |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the effectiveness of ailurophobia treatment using virtual reality technique compared to metacognitive therapy: a randomized clinical trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the effectiveness of ailurophobia treatment using virtual reality technique compared to metacognitive therapy: a randomized clinical trial |
| title_short | Investigating the effectiveness of ailurophobia treatment using virtual reality technique compared to metacognitive therapy: a randomized clinical trial |
| title_sort | investigating the effectiveness of ailurophobia treatment using virtual reality technique compared to metacognitive therapy a randomized clinical trial |
| topic | Ailurophobia Virtual reality Metacognition |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02378-9 |
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