ACT-based Intervention Enhanced With VR for Older Adults With Anxiety Symptoms

Intervention Based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Enhanced With Virtual Reality for Older Adults With Anxiety Symptoms: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

The goal of this pilot RCT is to develop, implement and evaluate an Intervention Program based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy using virtual reality as one of the components, in a sample of individuals aged 65 or older with anxiety symptoms enrolled in Portuguese day centers, with the aim of evaluating the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary evidence of efficacy of the intervention program and exploring the attitudes, behaviors and perceived barriers on the part of the participants towards the intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants aged 65 or older;
• Participants with mild, moderate, or severe anxiety symptoms;
• Participants who attend day centers.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants with a medical diagnosis of neurocognitive disorder or with significant cognitive deficits (measured with Mini-Mental State Examination);
• Participants with illiteracy or with linguistic difficulties that hinder communication and the comprehension of instructions;
• Participants with reduced visual acuity.