Psychological treatment in childhood trauma with support in virtual reality

This research aims to analyse the effectiveness of psychological treatment in children who have undergone multiple traumatic events. An adaptation of cognitive-behavioral therapy with narrative components, supported by the EMMA-CHILD virtual reality system, was applied to 77 boys and girls in care (6 to 16 years). The following pre- and post-treatment tests were applied: Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to caregivers. The Spanish version of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory in Children and Adolescents (STAXI-NA), Children s Depression Inventory (CDI), Multifactor Self-Evaluative Child Adaptation Test (TAMAI), all applied to children. A standardized mean difference effect size was used based on the t score to verify the efficacy of each treatment group. The implementation of PEDIMET TF-CBT offered significant improvements in PTSD, depression symptoms. In addition, children showed reductions in trait anger and progress in anger control, producing statistically significant changes and moderate effect sizes in both STAXI-NA measures, and in general adaptation to various contexts, with clinically and statistically significant improvements found in global, personal, social and school adaptation with moderate to high effect sizes. Due to its playful content, application of VR in psychological treatment of children and adolescents increases involvement and pleasure in therapy. As regards the VR system used in the present study, “The World of EMMA”, adds new and important possibilities to treatment.