Effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy for active duty soldiers in a military mental health clinic

TLDR

Exposure therapy is an evidence‑based treatment for PTSD, yet its effectiveness among active‑duty service members has been understudied. This report investigates the effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) for active‑duty soldiers. The study enrolled 24 soldiers who sought treatment after deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan and assessed VRE outcomes. Patients showed a significant reduction in PTSD Checklist scores (M = 47.08 vs 60.92, p < .001) and 62 % achieved a reliable change of ≥11 points, confirming VRE’s effectiveness in this population.

Abstract

Abstract Exposure therapy is an evidence‐based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but research evaluating its effectiveness with active duty service members is limited. This report examines the effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) for active duty soldiers ( N = 24) seeking treatment following a deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. Relative to their pretreatment self‐reported symptoms on the PTSD Checklist, Military Version ( M = 60.92; SD = 11.03), patients reported a significant reduction at posttreatment ( M = 47.08; SD = 12.70; p &lt; .001). Sixty‐two percent of patients ( n = 15) reported a reliable change of 11 points or more. This study supports the effectiveness of exposure therapy for active duty soldiers and extends previous research on VRE to this population.