A single remedy session, which incorporates the online game Tetris, can scale 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 printed in BMC Medication.
“It’s doable to scale back the frequency of disagreeable and intrusive recollections of trauma, and thereby additionally alleviate different PTSD signs. With only one guided remedy session, we noticed constructive results that continued after 5 weeks and even six months after remedy. Trauma can have an effect on anybody. If this impact will be achieved with an on a regular basis software that features video gaming, it could possibly 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 recollections of a traumatic occasion within the type of psychological pictures – usually often known as flashbacks. Different signs might embrace avoidance, extreme pressure and issues akin to issue sleeping and concentrating. Holmes and her colleagues have been researching the right way to forestall PTSD for a very long time. Within the present research, the researchers targeted on eliminating flashbacks. By changing intrusive recollections utilizing a visible activity, different PTSD signs will also be decreased.
Psychological rotation utilizing Tetris
The remedy relies on what is named psychological rotation, which lies on the coronary heart of Tetris. Once you take a look at an object from one angle, you’ll be able to think about what it might appear to be if it have been rotated to a unique place and could possibly be seen from a unique angle.
The research concerned 164 members (see truth field). All members monitored their intrusive recollections of trauma for per week. After that they have been randomized to considered one of two situations. Half the group have been requested to play Tetris with psychological rotation. The opposite half, the management group, was given a non-visual activity: listening to the radio. All members saved a diary about their flashbacks. In the beginning of the research, members have been experiencing a median of 15 flashbacks per week. At a five-week follow-up, members within the management group had a median of 5 episodes per week, however these within the gaming group had a median of only one.
At a follow-up six months after remedy, 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 remedy technique was so efficient and that the development in signs lasted for six months. I understand that it could appear unlikely that such a brief intervention, which incorporates video video games however would not embrace an in-depth dialogue of trauma with a therapist, might assist. However the research offers scientifically managed proof {that a} single guided digital remedy session can scale back the variety of intrusive recollections 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 akin to healthcare professionals after traumatic occasions to assist forestall and deal with early PTSD signs,that may be a ‘cognitive vaccine’, in the same means that we presently vaccinate in opposition to some infectious bodily illnesses.”
Emily Holmes, Professor at Uppsala College
The analysis was performed in collaboration with colleagues at Uppsala Medical Analysis and Karolinska Trials Alliance, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska College Hospital, Dalarna College, Sophiahemmet College, Ambulance Providers in Area Västerbotten, the College of Münster (Germany), P1Vital (UK) and the College of New South Wales, UNSW (Australia).
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Journal reference:
Kanstrup, M., et al. (2024). A guided single session intervention to scale back intrusive recollections of work-related trauma: a randomised managed trial with healthcare employees within the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Medication. doi.org/10.1186/s12916-024-03569-8.
