1 US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training 1 MAJ Melba Stetz, Ph.D. Army Research Psychologist Virtual Reality Medical Center Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center TATRC US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training 2 • Combat Stress – Definitions – Assessment – Treatments – Prevention • Virtual Reality- Stress Inoculation Training – Our Study US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training Agenda
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US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC Virtual ... · 3 5 US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training 5 Stetz’s et al.,
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US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC
Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training
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MAJ Melba Stetz, Ph.D. Army Research Psychologist
Virtual Reality Medical Center Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center
• Virtual Reality- Stress Inoculation Training– Our Study
US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC
Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training
Agenda
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US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC
Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training
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Warfighters’ Stressors • Sleep deprivation• Information overload• Exposure to injuries/dead bodies• Anxiety for the welfare of fellow
Warfighters/ family left behind• Work overload from timed-demands• Organizational constraints• Unpredictability
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US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC
Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training
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Stetz’s, et al., (2005) study of 5,671 patient movement records on MedEvac-ed Warfighters (Apr- Dec, 2003) showed 7% (OEF) and 6% (OIF) were MedEvac-ed due to psychiatric illnesses.
Mental Health MedEvacs
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US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC
Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training
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Stetz’s et al., (2006) follow-up analysis of that sample showed that 21% of those MedEvac-edWarfighters had psychiatric histories prior to deployment.
72 (66%)
3 (3%)
33 (31%)
Depression-Related Stress-Related Unspecified
Mental Health Related MedEvacs
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US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC
Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training
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• Pre-Deployment Health Assessment (DD Form 2795)
• Post-Deployment Health Assessment (DD Form 2796)
DoD Screening
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US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC
Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training
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Acute Stress Disorder/ Post Traumatic SD (PTSD)
• Stress can range from acute to traumatic.
• PTSD = Severe reaction to combat stress/ “post” traumatic experiences.
• PTSD symptoms must be present for > 1 month and include:– a persistent, re-experience of the event– avoidance of stimuli associated with the event– increased arousal (difficulty sleeping, anger)
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US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC
Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training
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Warfighters with Stress Problems
– 1 in 10 US Iraq veterans suffer some type of stress disorder.
• PTSD:– 18% of those that return from Iraq– 11% of those that return from Afghanistan
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US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC
Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training
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PTSD Gender Differences• No statistically significant PTSD symptom
difference between gender• Females might be exposed less to traumatic
events, but if exposed, are more likely to develop PTSD
• Females have a longer course of illness than males
• Females are more likely to express their emotions and to seek help
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US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, USAMRMC
Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training
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We are protecting Warfightersagainst physical but not psychological stressors.
“The Problem”
–“I think we ought to encourage every innovation…to make some of this stuff come to life in the minds of the trainees.”- - GEN Wallace, TRADOC CDR