Table 2.
Characteristics and results of included studies that report on the effectiveness of virtual reality on emotional and symptoms in patients with OCD.
| Study ID | Country |
Population n/Age |
Groups | Type of exposure | VR model | Key findings | Quality score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patient | Control | |||||||
| Inozu et al. (43) | Turkey | 66/22.0 ± 2.43 | OCD | OCD-c | Non-immersive | Computer-based HTC Vive VR system | VR can be used as an alternative exposure tool in the treatment of contamination-based OCD | 5 |
| van Bennekom et al. (15) | Netherlands | 52/– | OCD | HC | Non-immersive | VR environment through a virtual version of the Multiple Errand Test (V-MET) using the NeuroVR software | VR game could help in assessing core OCD symptoms and recognizing OCD | 8 |
| McCabe-Bennett et al. (44) | Canada | 76/34.3 ± 12.43 | OCD | OCD-c | Non-immersive | Visual and auditory simulation (i.e., white room noise) with an Oculus Rift_ consumer-release version HMD, model number 301-00200-03 | VR provided an opportunity to examine responses to increasing clutter levels | 8 |
| Jalal et al. (45) | Italy | 29/26.7 ± 6.43 | OCD | HC | Immersive | VR environment included visual and RHI | Using a fake hand during the RHI, instead, may provide a clever and convenient alternative | 5 |
| Pedroli et al. (46) | Italy | 58/36.7 ± 12.73 | OCD | HC | Non-immersive | NeuroVR (Version 2.0) a free software with a pre-existing virtual environment followed by NeuroVirtual 3D | Discriminating OCD patients from controls, with VR | 8 |
| van Bennekom et al. (19) | Netherlands | 16/31.5 ± 7.9 | OCD | HC | Non-immersive | VR environment included visual and RHI | VR is a potential valuable tool to objectify and standardize an OCD diagnosis | 8 |
| Laforest et al. (47) | Canada | 32/30.5 ± 7.9 | OCD | HC | Immersive | VR immersion system is made of six projected surfaces: four walls, the floor, and the ceiling all running Virtool VPPublisher Unlimited 5.0 | Unwanted negative side effects induced by immersions in VR were higher in the OCD group | 7 |
| la Paglia et al. (41) | Italy | 32/33.07 ± 9.09 | OCD | HC | Immersive | VR environment through a V-MET using the NeuroVR software | VR is sensitive to evaluate the functional status of OCD patients with normal cognition | 8 |
| Cipresso et al. (48) | Italy | 32/36.62 ± 11.09 | OCD | HC | Immersive | VR environment through a V-MET using the NeuroVR software | VR allowed us to take into account deficits of volition and the relative dys-executive functions associated with OCD patients | 8 |
| Kim et al. (18) | Republic of Korea | 70/29.52 ± 10.07 | OCD | HC OCD-c |
Non-immersive | VR with an IBM-compatible computer and an SVGA color HMD with a three-degrees-of-freedom tracker | Behavioral measures are able to improve the assessment of OCD by VR | 7 |
| Kim et al. (49) | Republic of Korea | 63/34.52 ± 9.17 | OCD | HC | Non-immersive | VR with an IBM-compatible computer and an SVGA color HMD with a three-degrees-of-freedom tracker | VR technology has a value as an anxiety-provoking or treatment tool for OCD | 8 |
VR, Virtual Reality; OCD, Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder; OCD-c, OCD-control; HC, Healthy controls; V-MET, virtual version of the Multiple Errand Test; HMD, head-mounted display, RHI, rubber hand illusion; SVGA, Supper Video Graphics Array; NOS scores categorized into three groups, including very high risk of bias (0–3 NOS points), high risk of bias (4–6), and low risk of bias (7–9).