NCT05934396

Brief Summary

This study is developing and refining a novel Virtual Reality (VR) supplement for inpatient treatment: the Practice Experiences for School Reintegration (PrESR) program. The PrESR will provide immersive school experiences for inpatient adolescents (with suicidal-related admissions) to practice skills in real-world settings with the guidance of a trained clinician within the confines of a hospital. This pilot study follows a Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) to conduct a pilot optimization trial of the PrESR to inform the feasibility of training clinicians, the ability to recruit adolescent inpatient participants, and management of experimental conditions. This study is not powered to test hypotheses; however, in addition to assessing feasibility and acceptability, this pilot trial will assess candidate intermediary and outcome measures.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
54

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Aug 2023

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

June 28, 2023

Completed
9 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

July 7, 2023

Completed
25 days until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 1, 2023

Completed
1.4 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 20, 2024

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 20, 2024

Completed
9 months until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

September 25, 2025

Completed
Last Updated

September 25, 2025

Status Verified

January 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

1.4 years

First QC Date

June 28, 2023

Results QC Date

August 26, 2025

Last Update Submit

September 22, 2025

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (10)

  • Proportion of Patients in the Target Population Who Agree to Participate

    Recruitment rate was determined based on the proportion of adolescents providing assent and parents or legal guardians providing permission relative to the number of parents or legal guardians approached.

    Baseline

  • Proportion of Patients in the Target Population Excluded Due to Motion Sickness Screening

    Rate of recruitment related to motion sickness was determined based on the proportion of assented adolescents whose scores were \>/= than 50th percentile on motion sickness questionnaire relative to the number of assented adolescents.

    Baseline

  • Proportion of Participants Who Complete All Study Procedures

    Proportion of participants who complete all study procedures was determined based on the proportion of adolescents completing study procedures at Baseline, 2-week follow-up, 3-month follow-up, and journals over the two weeks of their return to school relative to the total number of adolescents participating in that condition.

    up to 3-months following school re-entry

  • Average Number of Hours to Complete Assessments at Each Time Point

    Time to complete assessments, assessments are expected to last less than 4 hours. Note that the number of participants to start a Period is not equal to the number who completed previous Period for "Affect Regulation + Problem Solving" and "Cognitive Restructuring + Problem Solving" because 1 participant in each condition was withdrawn or withdrew.

    up to 3-months following school re-entry

  • Average Number of Minutes to Complete Each Intervention Session

    Time to complete intervention sessions, each session is expected to last less than 60 minutes. Average calculated by summing all sessions in each condition and dividing by total number of sessions. Note that the number of participants to start a Period is not equal to the number who completed previous Period for "Affect Regulation + Problem Solving" and "Cognitive Restructuring + Problem Solving" because 1 participant in each condition was withdrawn or withdrew.

    Baseline

  • Percentage of Adolescent Participants in Which Intervention Delivered With Greater Than or Equal to 80% Fidelity

    Percentage of participants in which adherence to delivery of key components of intervention (i.e., skill lessons or practice sessions) across sessions in each condition was 80% or greater. Adherence was calculated based on the number of key components completed relative to the total number of key components expected to be completed for each participant. Note that the number of participants to start a Period is not equal to the number who completed previous Period for "Affect Regulation + Problem Solving" and "Cognitive Restructuring + Problem Solving" because 1 participant in each condition was withdrawn or withdrew.

    Baseline

  • Percentage of Adolescent Participants With Average Acceptability Scores Less Than or Equal to 2

    Percent of adolescents with average acceptability score less than or equal to 2 (or "agree") on a five-point scale from 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree). Note that the number of participants to start a Period is not equal to the number who completed previous Period for "Affect Regulation + Problem Solving" and "Cognitive Restructuring + Problem Solving" because 1 participant in each condition was withdrawn or withdrew, and due to missing post-baseline data for "Problem Solving" (1 participant), "Cognitive Restructuring" (1 participant), "Affect Regulation + Cognitive Restructuring" (1 participant), "Cognitive Restructuring + Problem Solving" (1 participant), and "Affect Regulation + Cognitive Restructuring + Problem Solving" (1 participant).

    Baseline

  • Percentage of Hospital Professional Participants With Average Acceptability Scores Less Than or Equal to 2

    Percent of hospital professionals with average acceptability score less than or equal to 2 (or "agree") on a five-point scale from 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree). Note that the number of participants to start a Period is not equal to the number who completed previous Period for Hospital Professionals because 7 professionals consented into the study, but only 4 delivered the intervention to a patient following consent.

    Baseline

  • Adolescents' Perceptions of Acceptability

    Qualitative feedback provided by adolescents receiving the intervention in the Optimization Trial about acceptability of the intervention. Note that the number of participants to start a Period is not equal to the number who completed previous Period for "Affect Regulation + Problem Solving" and "Cognitive Restructuring + Problem Solving" because 1 participant in each condition was withdrawn or withdrew, and due to missing post-baseline data for "Cognitive Restructuring + Problem Solving" (1 participant).

    Baseline

  • Hospital Professionals' Perceptions of Acceptability

    Qualitative feedback provided by Hospital Professionals delivering the intervention to one or more hospitalized adolescents about acceptability of the intervention. Note that the number of participants to start a Period is not equal to the number who completed previous Period for Hospital Professionals because 7 professionals consented into the study, but only 4 delivered the intervention to a patient following consent.

    Baseline

Study Arms (8)

Enhanced Control

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets

Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets

Affect Regulation

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets; Safety Planning; Virtual Reality (VR) Enhanced Affect Regulation

Behavioral: Safety PlanningBehavioral: VR Enhanced Affect RegulationBehavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets

Problem Solving

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets; Safety Planning; Virtual Reality (VR) Enhanced Problem Solving

Behavioral: Safety PlanningBehavioral: VR Enhanced Problem SolvingBehavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets

Affect Regulation + Problem Solving

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets; Safety Planning; Virtual Reality (VR) Enhanced Affect Regulation; VR Enhanced Problem Solving

Behavioral: Safety PlanningBehavioral: VR Enhanced Affect RegulationBehavioral: VR Enhanced Problem SolvingBehavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets

Cognitive Restructuring

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets; Safety Planning; Virtual Reality (VR) Enhanced Cognitive Restructuring

Behavioral: Safety PlanningBehavioral: VR Enhanced Cognitive RestructuringBehavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets

Affect Regulation + Cognitive Restructuring

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets; Safety Planning; Virtual Reality (VR) Enhanced Affect Regulation; VR Enhanced Cognitive Restructuring

Behavioral: Safety PlanningBehavioral: VR Enhanced Affect RegulationBehavioral: VR Enhanced Cognitive RestructuringBehavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets

Cognitive Restructuring + Problem Solving

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets; Safety Planning; Virtual Reality (VR) Enhanced Cognitive Restructuring; VR Enhanced Problem Solving

Behavioral: Safety PlanningBehavioral: VR Enhanced Cognitive RestructuringBehavioral: VR Enhanced Problem SolvingBehavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets

Affect Regulation + Cognitive Restructuring + Problem Solving

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets; Safety Planning; Virtual Reality (VR) Enhanced Affect Regulation; VR Enhanced Cognitive Restructuring; VR Enhanced Problem Solving

Behavioral: Safety PlanningBehavioral: VR Enhanced Affect RegulationBehavioral: VR Enhanced Cognitive RestructuringBehavioral: VR Enhanced Problem SolvingBehavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets

Interventions

Safety PlanningBEHAVIORAL

Prior to discharge and following the conclusion of all Virtual Reality (VR) sessions, the participant will develop a safety planning intervention for school settings in collaboration with relevant individuals (e.g., the researcher, a school professional).

Affect RegulationAffect Regulation + Cognitive RestructuringAffect Regulation + Cognitive Restructuring + Problem SolvingAffect Regulation + Problem SolvingCognitive RestructuringCognitive Restructuring + Problem SolvingProblem Solving

Participants will receive an overview of affect regulation in VR and then have the opportunity to practice using affect regulation in a brief immersive experience designed to mimic difficult school experiences. Each session begins with goal setting prior to the VR experience and concludes with a debrief summary following the VR experience.

Affect RegulationAffect Regulation + Cognitive RestructuringAffect Regulation + Cognitive Restructuring + Problem SolvingAffect Regulation + Problem Solving

Participants will receive an overview of cognitive restructuring in VR and then have the opportunity to practice using cognitive restructuring in a brief immersive experience designed to mimic difficult school experiences. Each session begins with goal setting prior to the VR experience and concludes with a debrief summary following the VR experience.

Affect Regulation + Cognitive RestructuringAffect Regulation + Cognitive Restructuring + Problem SolvingCognitive RestructuringCognitive Restructuring + Problem Solving

Participants will receive an overview of problem solving in VR and then have the opportunity to practice using problem solving in a brief immersive experience designed to mimic difficult school experiences. Each session begins with goal setting prior to the VR experience and concludes with a debrief summary following the VR experience.

Affect Regulation + Cognitive Restructuring + Problem SolvingAffect Regulation + Problem SolvingCognitive Restructuring + Problem SolvingProblem Solving

The researchers will provide instructions for participants to complete a packet of worksheets teaching introduction to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), affect regulation, cognitive restructuring, and problem solving.

Affect RegulationAffect Regulation + Cognitive RestructuringAffect Regulation + Cognitive Restructuring + Problem SolvingAffect Regulation + Problem SolvingCognitive RestructuringCognitive Restructuring + Problem SolvingEnhanced ControlProblem Solving

Eligibility Criteria

Age13 Years - 99 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Adolescent Participants:
  • current hospitalization for suicidal thoughts and behaviors
  • ages 13-18
  • expected return to school following discharge
  • ability to speak, read, and understand English sufficiently to complete study procedures,
  • consent of a parent/legal guardian (in English or Spanish; for minor participants)
  • adolescent assent or consent (in English)
  • clinician approval.
  • Hospital professionals:
  • Works as a clinician at the hospital site who delivers treatment including CBT to hospitalized adolescents,
  • Hospital professional consent (in English)
  • consent of patient's parent/legal guardian (in English or Spanish; for minor participants)
  • adolescent patient assent or consent (in English).

You may not qualify if:

  • Adolescent Participants
  • evidence of active psychosis,
  • evidence of intellectual disability
  • Risk for Cyber-sickness (greater than or equal to 50th percentile as measured on the Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire)

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

UNC Adolescent Psychiatry Inpatient Unit

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Suicide

Interventions

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Self-Injurious BehaviorBehavioral SymptomsBehavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior TherapyPsychotherapyBehavioral Disciplines and Activities

Results Point of Contact

Title
Marisa Marraccini, PhD
Organization
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Study Officials

  • Marisa Marraccini, PhD

    University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
Yes

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
FACTORIAL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

June 28, 2023

First Posted

July 7, 2023

Study Start

August 1, 2023

Primary Completion

December 20, 2024

Study Completion

December 20, 2024

Last Updated

September 25, 2025

Results First Posted

September 25, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-01

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations