Percorrer por autor "Ramadas, Eduardo"
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- Development and usability of VRainSUD’s cognitive training virtual reality platform for substance use disordersPublication . Caetano, Tânia; Pinho, Maria Salomé; Freire, Hugo; Mota, Dany; Ramadas, Eduardo; Lopes,Jessica; Freire-Santos, Filipa; Dixe, Maria dos AnjosCognitive deficits have been shown to increase the likelihood of relapse in individuals with substance use disorders (SUD). As such, cognitive training programs are important interventions for this population. In this study, we describe the development and test the usability of a virtual reality (VR)-based cognitive training program for individuals with SUD – VRainSUD. A total of 17 patients receiving inpatient treatment for SUD at an Addiction Treatment Center agreed to participate in the study. Participants completed 9 tasks designed to test the platform’s usability. The key performance indicators (e.g., time to complete the task) as well as any relevant observations were recorded. Finally, each participant completed a brief survey and the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ). VRainSUD was considered easy and pleasant to use but additional instructions were required on certain cognitive training tasks. The total PSSUQ score confirmed an overall high level of satisfaction concerning the platform’s usability (2.72 ± 1.92). Among the three subscales, system usefulness presented the most satisfactory score (1.76 ± 1.37) and information quality presented the least satisfactory score (3.00 ± 1.95). Changes were made to the platform to improve the on-screen information and instructions. Overall, participants showed interest in integrating VRainSUD into their standard treatment. Despite limited prior VR experience, they quickly adapted to the controllers and navigation. VRainSUD can be a potentially successful add-on to SUD treatment.
- Effectiveness of a virtual reality-based cognitive training program on memory, executive functioning, and processing speed in individuals with substance use disorders: a quasi-experimental studyPublication . Caetano, Tânia; Pinho, Maria Salomé; Ramadas, Eduardo; Freire-Santos, Filipa; Dixe, Maria dos AnjosBackground: Cognitive deficits are frequently observed in individuals with Substance use disorders (SUD) and have been linked to poorer treatment outcomes and a heightened risk of relapse. We aimed to study the effectiveness of a 6-week virtual reality-based cognitive training program (VRainSUD-VR) on neuropsychological outcomes, specifically memory, executive functioning, and processing speed, as well as on treatment dropout rates in individuals with SUD. We hypothesized that adding VRainSUD-VR to treatment as usual (TAU) would lead to greater cognitive improvements compared to TAU alone. As a secondary hypothesis, we expectedVRainSUD-VRtoreducefalsememoriesrelativetoTAU. Methods: A non-randomized design with a control group, pre- and post-test assessments, and convenience sampling was employed. Patients (N = 47) were assigned to either the control group (CG), which received TAU (n = 22), or the experimental group (EG), which received VRainSUD-VR in addition to TAU (n = 25). Cognitive and treatment outcomes (e.g., dropout rates) were assessed at pre- and post-test. Results: Statistically significant time × group interactions were found for overall executive functioning [F(1,75) = 20.05, p < 0.001] and global memory [F(1,75) = 36.42, p < 0.001], indicating the effectiveness of VRainSUD-VR. No significant time × group interactions were found for most processing speed outcomes (p >0.05). Conclusion: VRainSUD-VR could be integrated into residential programs to improve general executive functioning, perceptual reasoning, and working memory, including visual working memory, as well as different aspects of global memory, such as visual, auditory, immediate, and delayed recall. Future research should explore the long-term effects of this intervention and consider additional potential mediating factors to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying its effectiveness.
- Effectiveness of smartphone interventions as continuing care for substance use disorders: A systematic reviewPublication . Ramadas, Eduardo; de Lima, Margarida Pedroso; Caetano, Tânia; Lopes, Jessica; Dixe, Maria dos Anjos RodriguesAs a chronic disease with consistent relapse rates, substance use disorders (SUD) require a continuity-of-care approach. Unfortunately, many patients do not have access to continuing care. This systematic review analysed the current scientific knowledge to better understand if app-based smartphone interventions can be an effective alternative. The databases Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO were used to find experimental and quasi-experimental studies investigating the effectiveness of a smartphone intervention in individuals who had completed treatment for SUD. After removing duplicates, a total of 1488 studies were screened, with 48 being selected for a full-text review. Four studies met all the criteria, with one other being added by identification through other resources, making a total of 5 studies included in the present review. Out of the four studies using a control group, only one found no significant differences in favour of the experimental group. That study used an active control group and compared the smartphone intervention to its therapeutic group equivalent. There were no significant differences between the two experimental groups. Overall, the results indicate that app-based smartphone interventions can be an effective alternative to traditional forms of continuing care. However, literature is still scarce, and more research needs to be made on this subject. This systematic review is registered at PROSPERO with the identifier [CRD42021272070].
- Substance abuse and susceptibility to false memory formation: A systematic review and meta-analysisPublication . Caetano, Tânia; Pinho, Maria Salomé; Ramadas, Eduardo; Lopes, Jessica; Areosa, Timóteo; Ferreira, Daniela; Dixe, Maria dos AnjosBackground: Substance abuse has an impact on various cognitive domains, including memory. Even though this impact has been extensively examined across different subdomains, false memory has been sparsely studied. This systematic review and meta-analysis seek to synthesize the current scientific data concerning false memory formation in individuals with a history of substance abuse. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and PsycINFO were searched to identify all experimental and observational studies in English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Studies were then examined by four independent reviewers and, if they met the inclusion criteria, assessed for their quality. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for randomized controlled trials (RCT) and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklists for quasi-experimental and analytic cross-sectional studies were used to assess the risk of bias. Results: From the 443 screened studies, 27 (and two more from other sources) were considered eligible for full-text review. A final 18 studies were included in the present review. Of these, 10 were conducted with alcoholics or heavy drinkers, four focused on ecstasy/polydrug users, three were done with cannabis users and one focused on methadone maintenance patients with current cocaine dependence. Regarding false memory type, 15 studies focused on false recognition/recall, and three on provoked confabulation. Conclusions: None but one of the studies considering false recognition/recall of critical lures found any significant differences between individuals with a history of substance abuse and healthy controls. However, most of the studies taking into account false recognition/recall of related and unrelated events found that individuals with a history of substance abuse showed significantly higher rates of false memories than controls. Future research should continue to consider different types of false memories as well as their potential association with relevant clinical variables. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=266503, identifier: CRD42021266503. Copyright © 2023 Caetano, Pinho, Ramadas, Lopes, Areosa, Ferreira and Dixe.
- VRainSUD: Content validation of a Cognitive Training Program using the Delphi MethodPublication . Caetano, Tânia; Pinho, Maria Salomé; Freire, Hugo; Mota, Dany; Ramadas, Eduardo; Lopes, Jessica; Dixe, Maria dos Anjos; Ballin, Daniel; Macredie, Robert D.Substance abuse has undeniable effects on several cognitive domains, with these associated deficits contributing to poorer treatment outcomes in substance use disorders (SUD). Cognitive training programs (CTPs) address these cognitive deficits, contributing to improved treatment outcomes. The main goal of this study was to validate the content of VRainSUD, a CTP virtual reality-based platform and a mobile follow-up application that proposes to reduce cognitive deficits in SUD. The Delphi method was used to reach a consensus on each of the program’s characteristics (e.g., structure, cognitive training tasks). A panel of experts was invited to participate in the content validation by answering two rounds of questions (scale and free-text boxes) regarding the program. Changes were made between the rounds according to the results of the first round. The consensus was defined as at least 70% of the experts agreeing on the validity of a characteristic. From 39 invited experts, 11 completed the first round, and 6 completed both rounds. The structure of the program reached a consensus on the first round, along with most tasks (with the exception of two mobile application tasks). Significant changes were made following the feedback received, namely turning the program personalizable, and adding positive feedback to the tasks in order to improve adherence and engagement. The Delphi method was a valuable tool to improve VRainSUD. The experts’ opinions validated main features and informed important additional changes, highlighting the importance of expert feedback in the development of cognitive interventions.