The BraveMind virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) has been developed and has shown efficacy for U.S. service members and veterans. As the first study to date, the present study examined the feasibility of BraveMind VRET for non-U.S. military veterans. Moreover, the study sought to explore in-depth the participants' experiences with BraveMind VRET. Nine Danish veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after deployment to Afghanistan participated in the study. PTSD, depression, and quality of life were assessed at pretreatment, post-treatment, and 3-month followup. The treatment consisted of 10 BraveMind VRET sessions. Semistructured interviews with treatment completers were conducted post-treatment to ascertain views about the treatment, in general, and the BraveMind VR system in particular. Thematic qualitative analysis was conducted at the semantic level using an inductive approach. There were significant reductions in pre- to post-treatment self-reported PTSD and significant improvements in quality of life. Treatment gains were maintained at 3-month followup. Pre- to post-treatment Cohen's d effect sizes were large for self-reported PTSD (PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version [PCL-C]: d = 1.55). Qualitative results indicated that the virtual environment of the BraveMind VR system does not entirely map the reality of Danish soldiers in Afghanistan. However, this was not experienced as a hindering factor in therapy. Findings indicate that BraveMind VRET is an acceptable, safe, and effective treatment for Danish veterans with PTSD. The qualitative results emphasize the importance of a strong therapeutic alliance, as VRET is experienced as more emotional straining than regular trauma-focused therapy.

中文翻译：

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虚拟现实暴露疗法在治疗患有创伤后应激障碍的丹麦退伍军人中的可行性：一项混合方法试点研究。

BraveMind 虚拟现实暴露疗法 (VRET) 已经开发出来，并已显示出对美国服役人员和退伍军人的疗效。作为迄今为止的第一项研究，本研究检验了 BraveMind VRET 对非美国退伍军人的可行性。此外，该研究试图深入探索参与者对 BraveMind VRET 的体验。九名在部署到阿富汗后患有创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD) 的丹麦退伍军人参与了这项研究。在治疗前、治疗后和 3 个月的随访中评估了 PTSD、抑郁和生活质量。治疗包括 10 次 BraveMind VRET 课程。在治疗后对治疗完成者进行了半结构化访谈，以确定对治疗的总体看法，尤其是对 BraveMind VR 系统的看法。使用归纳法在语义层面进行主题定性分析。治疗前后自我报告的 PTSD 显着减少，生活质量显着改善。治疗效果在 3 个月的随访中得以维持。对于自我报告的 PTSD（PTSD 检查表-民用版 [PCL-C]：d = 1.55），治疗前后 Cohen 的 d 效应量很大。定性结果表明，BraveMind VR 系统的虚拟环境并没有完全映射出丹麦士兵在阿富汗的真实情况。然而，这并不是治疗中的阻碍因素。研究结果表明，对于患有 PTSD 的丹麦退伍军人，BraveMind VRET 是一种可接受、安全且有效的治疗方法。定性结果强调了强大的治疗联盟的重要性，