Table 1 Study protocol for the experimental group
Intake session | Introduction of the training | Clinical interview (MINI) | Give STAI Y2 and SWLS | Questionnaire about participant’s expectations and motivations | Exposition to a neutral virtual environment | Explanation of how to use the PDA, Second Life and the PMS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Session I | Introduction | Physiological assessment | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A (baseline) | Exposition to stressful virtual environment n1 | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A (after each scenario) | Repeated for all the 7 stressful environments + neutral one + cognitive task | Exposition to a relaxing virtual environment | Final debriefing |
Assessment session | ||||||||
Session II | Preliminary phase | Pre-training | Training | Post-training | Final phase | |||
Training session | Introduction | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Physiological assessment | Exposition to stressful virtual environment | Cognitive restructuring | Exposition to a relaxing virtual environment | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Delivery of homework and debriefing |
Session III | Preliminary phase | Pre-training | Training | Post-training | Final phase | |||
Training session | Introduction | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Physiological assessment | Exposition to stressful virtual environment | Cognitive restructuring | Biofeedback in virtual reality | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Delivery of homework and debriefing |
Session IV | Preliminary phase | Pre-training | Training | Post-training | Final phase | |||
Training session | Introduction | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Physiological assessment | Exposition to stressful virtual environment | Cognitive restructuring | Exposition to a relaxing virtual environment | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Delivery of homework and debriefing |
Session V | Preliminary phase | Pre-training | Training | Post-training | Final phase | |||
Training session | Introduction | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Physiological assessment | Exposition to stressful virtual environment | Cognitive restructuring | Biofeedback in virtual reality | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Delivery of homework and debriefing |
Session VI | Preliminary phase | Pre-training | Training | Post-training | Final phase | |||
Training session | Introduction | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Physiological assessment | Exposition to stressful virtual environment | Cognitive restructuring | Exposition to a relaxing virtual environment | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Delivery of homework and debriefing |
Session VII | Preliminary phase | Pre-training | Training | Post-training | Final phase | |||
Training session | Introduction | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Physiological assessment | Exposition to stressful virtual environment | Cognitive restructuring | Biofeedback in virtual reality | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Delivery of homework and debriefing |
Session VIII | Preliminary phase | Pre-training | Training | Post-training | Final phase | |||
Training session | Introduction | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Physiological assessment | Exposition to stressful virtual environment | Cognitive restructuring | Exposition to a relaxing virtual environment | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Delivery of homework and debriefing |
Session IX | Preliminary phase | Pre-training | Training | Post-training | Final phase | |||
Training session | Introduction | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Physiological assessment | Exposition to stressful virtual environment | Cognitive restructuring | Biofeedback in virtual reality | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Delivery of homework and debriefing |
Session X | Follow up of questionnaires used in the evaluation phase | Physiological assessment | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Exposition to stressful virtual environment n1 | Give STAI Y1 and VAS-A | Repeated for all the 7 stressful environments + neutral one + cognitive task | Exposition to a relaxing Virtual Environment | Final debriefing |
Final session | ||||||||