Is This My Own Body? Changing the Perceptual and Affective Body Image Experience among College Students Using a New Virtual Reality Embodiment-Based Technique
Por:
Porras Garcia B, Ferrer Garcia M, Olszewska A, Yilmaz L, González Ibañez C, Gracia Blanes M, Gültekin G, Serrano E and Gutiérrez Maldonado J
Publicada:
1 jul 2019
Ahead of Print:
27 jun 2019
Categoría:
Medicine (miscellaneous)
Resumen:
Body image disturbances (BIDs) have been widely studied using virtual reality (VR) devices that induce a full body illusion (FBI) and allow manipulation of the individual's perceptual and affective experiences of the body. This study aimed to assess whether the induction of the FBI over a virtual body would produce changes in body-related anxiety and BIDs using a new whole-body visuo-tactile stimulation procedure. Fifty non-clinical participants were randomly assigned to synchronous or asynchronous visuo-tactile groups. During the pre-assessment, all participants filled in BIDs and body-anxiety questionnaires. Then, they were embodied into two virtual bodies (VBs): firstly, with their real measurements, and secondly, with a larger-size body. Body image disturbances, body anxiety, fear of gaining weight, and FBI levels were assessed after exposure to each avatar. All participants in both conditions showed higher levels of BIDs and body anxiety after owning the larger-size VB than after owning the real-size VB (p < 0.05). The synchronous visuo-tactile group had higher scores, although the differences did not reach statistical significance. This study provides evidence of the usefulness of this new embodiment-based technique to induce changes in BIDs or body anxiety in a non-clinical sample, being suitable for use in future body image interventions.
Filiaciones:
Porras Garcia B:
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Ferrer Garcia M:
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Olszewska A:
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Yilmaz L:
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
González Ibañez C:
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Gracia Blanes M:
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Gültekin G:
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Serrano E:
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu of Barcelona
Passeig de Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
Children and Adolescent Mental Health Research Group, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Passeig de Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
Gutiérrez Maldonado J:
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain.
Green Published, Green Submitted, gold
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