A single therapy session, which incorporates the online game Tetris, can cut back signs of post-traumatic stress dysfunction (PTSD). This has been proven in a brand new research carried out with healthcare professionals working through the COVID-19 pandemic. The research is led by researchers at Uppsala College and is revealed in BMC Medication.
«It’s potential to scale back the frequency of disagreeable and intrusive reminiscences of trauma, and thereby additionally alleviate different PTSD signs. With only one guided therapy session, we noticed optimistic results that endured after 5 weeks and even six months after therapy. Trauma can have an effect on anybody. If this impact could be achieved with an on a regular basis software that features video gaming, it might be an accessible means to assist many individuals,» explains Emily Holmes, Professor at Uppsala College who led the research.
The hallmark symptom of PTSD is disagreeable and intrusive reminiscences of a traumatic occasion within the type of psychological pictures – usually often known as flashbacks. Different signs could embrace avoidance, extreme rigidity and issues similar to issue sleeping and concentrating. Holmes and her colleagues have been researching forestall PTSD for a very long time. Within the present research, the researchers centered on eliminating flashbacks. By changing intrusive reminiscences utilizing a visible process, different PTSD signs may also be lowered.
Psychological rotation utilizing Tetris
The therapy relies on what is called psychological rotation, which lies on the coronary heart of Tetris. If you have a look at an object from one angle, you may think about what it could appear like if it had been rotated to a distinct place and might be seen from a distinct angle.
The research concerned 164 members (see truth field). All members monitored their intrusive reminiscences of trauma for every week. After that they had been randomized to certainly one of two circumstances. Half the group had been requested to play Tetris with psychological rotation. The opposite half, the management group, was given a non-visual process: listening to the radio. All members stored a diary about their flashbacks. Initially of the research, members had been experiencing a mean of 15 flashbacks every week. At a five-week follow-up, members within the management group had a mean of 5 episodes every week, however these within the gaming group had a mean of only one.
At a follow-up six months after therapy, members within the playing group had much less extreme signs of PTSD. In an evaluation utilizing a acknowledged questionnaire (PCL-5) usually used to evaluate all PTSD signs, the gaming group skilled round half as many as issues because the management group.
«It was stunning to us that the therapy methodology was so efficient and that the advance in signs lasted for six months. I notice that it could appear unlikely that such a brief intervention, which incorporates video video games however does not embrace an in-depth dialogue of trauma with a therapist, may assist. However the research supplies scientifically managed proof {that a} single guided digital therapy session can cut back the variety of intrusive reminiscences and that it may be used safely by members,» she continues.
«Cognitive vaccination»
My imaginative and prescient is that in the future we can present a software for individuals similar to healthcare professionals after traumatic occasions to assist forestall and deal with early PTSD signs,that could be a ‘cognitive vaccine’, in an identical means that we presently vaccinate towards some infectious bodily ailments.»
Emily Holmes, Professor at Uppsala College
The analysis was performed in collaboration with colleagues at Uppsala Scientific Analysis and Karolinska Trials Alliance, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska College Hospital, Dalarna College, Sophiahemmet College, Ambulance Companies in Area Västerbotten, the College of Münster (Germany), P1Vital (UK) and the College of New South Wales, UNSW (Australia).
Supply:
Journal reference:
Kanstrup, M., et al. (2024). A guided single session intervention to scale back intrusive reminiscences of work-related trauma: a randomised managed trial with healthcare staff within the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Medication. doi.org/10.1186/s12916-024-03569-8.
