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. 2018 Jul 9;8:10323. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-28113-6

Table 4.

VR-enhanced therapy vs. active condition contrast, post-treatment.

Anxiety symptoms N ga 95% CI I 2 I2 95% CI NNT pb
All studies 29 −0.02 −0.14 to 0.10 20 0 to 50 83.33
Outliers excludedc 27 −0.02 −0.13 to 0.08 0 0 to 43 83.33
Only studies with >25 randomized per arm 12 −0.05 −0.19 to 0.07 1 0 to 59 35.71
Only studies involving anxiety disorders 23 −0.10 −0.24 to 0.04 26 0 to 55 17.86
Subgroup analyses d
Country N. America 9 −0.12 −0.31 to 0.06 0 0 to 65 14.71 0.198
EU 18 0.04 −0.13 to 0.23 39 0 to 65 45.45
VR program author N 8 0.09 −0.21 to 0.40 54 0 to 79 20.00 0.372
among author poole Y 20 −0.05 −0.18 to 0.07 0 0 to 48 35.71
Recruitmentf Army 2 −0.32 −0.64 to −0.005 0 N/Ai 5.56
Clinic 7 0.03 −0.17 to 0.23 0 0 to 71 62.50 0.159
Community 17 0.001 −0.19 to 0.19 43 0 to 68 1772.4
Control group CBT 18 0.03 −0.09 to 0.16 0 0 to 50 62.50 0.120
IE 6 −0.16 −0.41 to 0.08 0 0 to 75 11.11
IVE 4 −0.35 −0.78 to 0.07 49 0 to 83 5.10
Experimental VRCBT 17 0.09 −0.04 to 0.24 3 0 to 53 20.00 0.016
intervention VRE 12 −0.18 −0.35 to −0.006 11 0 to 50 9.80
Type of anxiety disorder Flight anxiety 7 0.21 −0.12 to 0.54 41 0 to 75 8.47 0.206
Panic disorder 6 −0.05 −0.32 to 0.21 0 0 to 75 35.71
PTSD 2 −0.32 −0.64 to −0.005 0 N/A 5.56
Social anxiety 5 −0.18 −0.52 to 0.15 41 0 to 78 9.80
Specific phobia 3 −0.19 −0.57 to 0.17 14 0 to 91 9.43
Incomplete outcome data RoBj High/Unclear 20 0.02 −0.11 to 0.15 5 0 to 50 83.33 0.326
Low 9 −0.12 −0.36 to 0.12 43 0 to 74 14.71
Depressive symptoms
All studies 13 0.004 −0.20 to 0.21 26 0 to 62 443.11
Outliers excludedg 12 0.07 −0.10 to 0.25 0 0 to 58 25.00
Only studies with >25 randomized participants per arm 4 −0.03 −0.27 to 0.20 0 0 to 85 62.5
Subgroup analyses
Country N. America 3 0.14 −0.19 to 0.48 0 0 to 90 12.82 0.410
EU 9 −0.04 −0.32 to 0.24 40 0 to 72 45.45
VR program author N 2 0.03 −0.37 to 0.43 0 N/A 62.50 0.901
among author pool Y 11 −0.001 −0.24 to 0.24 37 0 to 69 1772.4
Recruitmenth Clinic 6 −0.01 −0.25 to 0.23 0 0 to 75 166.67 0.769
Community 4 −0.12 −0.79 to 0.55 76 32 to 91 14.71
Control group CBT 10 0.08 −0.10 to 0.28 0 0 to 62 21.74 0.777
IE 2 0.02 −0.39 to 0.43 0 N/A 83.33
Experimental VRCBT 8 0.17 −0.07 to 0.43 0 0 to 68 10.42 0.126
intervention VRE 5 −0.18 −0.57 to 0.20 62 0 to 86 9.80
Incomplete outcome data RoB High/Unclear 9 0.08 −0.11 to 0.29 0 0 to 65 21.74 0.308
Low 4 −0.25 −0.88 to 0.37 70 15 to 90 7.14

aAll results are reported with Hedges’ g, using a random effects model. Negative effect indicates superiority of the active interventions over the VR-enhanced therapies.

bThe p levels in this column indicate whether the difference between the ESs in the subgroups is significant. (significant results are marked with italic).

cOutliers: Kampmann, 2016 St.2; Muhlberger, 2003.

dSubgroup analysis were conducted using a mixed effects model. Only subgroups with at least 2 studies were included.

eOne study (Wiederhold, 2001) did not contain information about this moderator.

fTwo studies (Meyerbroeker, 2013, Robillard, 2010 St2) did not contain information about this moderator.

gOutliers: Kampmann, 2016 St.2.

hOne study (Robillard, 2010 St.2) did not contain information about this moderator.

iConfidence intervals around I2 cannot be calculated if there are less than 3 groups.

jRoB: Risk of Bias.