Thérapie Avatar Pour le Traitement du Trouble dépressif caractérisé réfractaire : Une étude Pilote

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is among the most common and disabling mental health conditions worldwide. However, treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (TR-MDD) is a prevalent clinical challenge and public health concern. While various pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments are available, a significant proportion of individuals do not achieve adequate symptom relief. Indeed, approximately 30% to 55% of individuals with MDD remain symptomatic after two adequate antidepressant trials, and psychotherapy has shown only modest efficacy in treatment-resistant cases. In this context, our research team developed Avatar therapy, an approach using virtual reality as a therapeutic tool to treat TR-MDD. The Avatar Therapy for TR-MDD displays strong experiential and relational components that are crucially missing in conventional interventions.

Throughout the 10 therapy sessions, participants were allowed to engage in a dialogue in virtual reality with an avatar representing a person who played a significant role in their depressive symptoms, which was animated in real-time by a therapist. The primary outcomes was severity of depressive symptoms. Secondary outcomes included severity of anxiety symptoms, self-esteem, quality of life and functioning. The investigators will also explore whether the greater improvements attributable to the Avatar Therapy persist in time.

Given the high prevalence of individuals with TR-MDD and the negative repercussions for individuals, their entourage, and society, the current trial will contribute to the validation of a novel approach and create new therapeutic possibilities.