Table 4.
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.