Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy for People Hearing Voices

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Psychosis; Schizophrenia; Schizo Affective Disorder; Hearing Voices When No One is Talking (Symptom)
• Interventions: Behavioral: Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy (VRAT); Behavioral: Assertiveness Training Program (ATP)

• Registration Number: NCT04099940
• Lead Sponsor: Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich

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.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2019-09-18
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-09-19
• Study First Posted: 2019-09-23
• Study Start: 2021-07-01
• Status Verified: 2023-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-09-26
• Last Update Posted: 2023-09-28
• Primary Completion: 2025-05-30
• Study Completion: 2025-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 100

Inclusion Criteria

• 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)

Exclusion Criteria

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

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Assertiveness Training Program (ATP)	Assertiveness Training Program (ATP)	The ATP is a transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural treatment programme, which aims to increase self-confidence and social competence in patients with a psychiatric disorder.
Assertiveness Training Program (ATP)	Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy (VRAT)	The ATP is a transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural treatment programme, which aims to increase self-confidence and social competence in patients with a psychiatric disorder.
Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy (VRAT)	Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy (VRAT)	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.
Virtual Reality Avatar Therapy (VRAT)	Assertiveness Training Program (ATP)	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.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Psychopathological Assessment	Change: Baseline, 3, 6 weeks, 6 and 12 months]	Symptom Questionnaire

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Insecurity- Self-confidence	Change: Baseline, 3, 6 weeks, 6 and 12 months]	Symptom Questionnaire
Psychotic Symptoms	Change: Baseline, 3, 6 weeks, 6 and 12 months]	Symptom Questionnaire

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik Zürich; 🇨🇭 Zürich, Switzerland