Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy for People Hearing Voices

NCT04099940 | Unknown DMC

• 1 other identifier: VRAT- ATP
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Hearing voices is probably the worst form of acoustic hallucinations; which can be experienced as severely disturbing and is influenced by diverse factors including the ability of the individual to influence and control the hallucinatory experience itself. In recent years virtual reality has become a treatment option. In the so-called AVATAR Therapy, patients with schizophrenia and acoustic hallucinations design a visual and auditory recreation (avatar) of the entity to which they attribute their hallucinations. Working with a therapist over the course of several sessions, participants change the avatar from controlling to benevolent. Avatar Therapy involves similar processes to learning and cognitive restructuring, comparable to other psychotherapeutic interventions. The investigators plan to conduct an interventional study using a cross-over design, to compare the feasibility and efficacy of virtual reality avatar therapy for patients with acoustic hallucinations (independent of psychiatric diagnosis) with a cognitive behavioural group therapy aimed to improve social competence.

Conditions

Psychosis; Schizophrenia; Schizo Affective Disorder; Hearing Voices When No One is Talking (Symptom)

Keywords

Hearing Voices, Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Psychopathological Assessment

  Symptom Questionnaire

  Change: Baseline, 3, 6 weeks, 6 and 12 months]

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Psychotic Symptoms

  Change: Baseline, 3, 6 weeks, 6 and 12 months]

• Insecurity- Self-confidence

  Change: Baseline, 3, 6 weeks, 6 and 12 months]

Study Arms (2)

Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy (VRAT)

EXPERIMENTAL

In the VRAT, patients with schizophrenia and acoustic hallucinations design a visual and auditory recreation (avatar) of the entity to which they attribute their hallucinations. Working with a therapist over the course of several sessions, participants change the avatar from controlling to benevolent.

Behavioral: Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy (VRAT); Behavioral: Assertiveness Training Program (ATP)

Assertiveness Training Program (ATP)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The ATP is a transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural treatment programme, which aims to increase self-confidence and social competence in patients with a psychiatric disorder.

Behavioral: Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy (VRAT); Behavioral: Assertiveness Training Program (ATP)

Interventions

Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy (VRAT) BEHAVIORAL

The Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy (VRAT) is a Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, delivered through Virtual Reality.

Assertiveness Training Program (ATP); Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy (VRAT)

Assertiveness Training Program (ATP) BEHAVIORAL

The Assertiveness Training Program (ATP) is a Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, delivered as group therapy.

Assertiveness Training Program (ATP); Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy (VRAT)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Consistent acoustic hallucinations, with the presence of voices for at least two months.
• Participants are competent to give informed consent, as determined by the referring physician or psychiatrist.
• German language proficiency as a native speaker or level B1 Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL)

You may not qualify if:

• Current neurological disorder.
• Current substance use or withdrawal.
• Concomitant group psychotherapeutic intervention.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich: lead

Study Sites (1)

Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik Zürich

Zurich, 8032, Switzerland

RECRUITING

Related Publications (2)

• Craig TK, Rus-Calafell M, Ward T, Leff JP, Huckvale M, Howarth E, Emsley R, Garety PA. AVATAR therapy for auditory verbal hallucinations in people with psychosis: a single-blind, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Psychiatry. 2018 Jan;5(1):31-40. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(17)30427-3. Epub 2017 Nov 23.

  PMID: 29175276 BACKGROUND

• Brander M, Egger ST, Hurlimann N, Seifritz E, Sumner RW, Vetter S, Magnenat S. Virtual Reality Human-Human Interface to Deliver Psychotherapy to People Experiencing Auditory Verbal Hallucinations: Development and Usability Study. JMIR Serious Games. 2021 Jun 1;9(2):e26820. doi: 10.2196/26820.

  PMID: 33769295 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychotic Disorders; Schizophrenia; Hallucinations

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders; Mental Disorders; Perceptual Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Central Study Contacts

Stephan T. Egger, MD

CONTACT

+41523049340; stephan.egger@puk.zh.ch

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Senior Psychiatrists

Model Details: The investigators plan to conduct a single-blind, randomised, controlled trial in a cross-over design to assess the feasibility and efficacy of VRAT in patients with acoustic hallucinations, independent of the main diagnosis.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 18, 2019
• First Posted: September 23, 2019
• Study Start: July 1, 2021
• Primary Completion: May 30, 2025
• Study Completion: December 31, 2025
• Last Updated: September 28, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CH (1)