RecruitingACTRN12624000234516

Virtual Reality Integrated Social Recovery therapy for Young People with Early Psychosis

Virtual Reality therapy for social cognition and functioning in young people with early psychosis. User-centred design, effectiveness and implementation

Sponsor

Orygen

Enrollment

156 participants

Start Date

Oct 29, 2024

Study Type

Interventional

Conditions

impairment in social cognition Psychotic spectrum disorders Psychosis Impairment in social functioning

Summary

To test the efficacy of a second version of a new virtual reality intervention that was designed to support the social and cognitive recovery of young people with psychosis. This second version was designed alongside young people with lived experience of psychosis and social challenges, and the purpose of this study is to compare version 1 to version 2 of this intervention, to determine the differences in efficacy. The study team hypothesize that version 2 of the intervention will be more effective at improving social functioning compared to the first version at a follow up interview six months after the delivery of the intervention.

Eligibility

Sex: Both males and femalesMin Age: 14 YearssMax Age: 30 Yearss

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

Psychosis — including first episodes of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders — often strikes young people during a critical period of social development, affecting friendships, education, and the ability to connect with others. Virtual reality (VR) therapy offers a safe environment where young people can practice social situations and build confidence without the pressures of real life. This study compares two versions of a VR-based therapy designed to improve social functioning in young people with early psychosis or at high risk of developing it. Version 2 was co-designed with young people who have lived experience of psychosis, and researchers want to know whether it works better than the original version in improving social outcomes at 6 months. You may be eligible if you are 14 to 30 years old, receiving care at an early psychosis service in Melbourne, Adelaide, or Perth, and have been diagnosed with first episode psychosis or assessed as being at high risk. People who are currently admitted to an acute mental health ward, have significant cognitive impairment, or have imminent suicidal risk are not eligible.

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Interventions

The proposed intervention is an exposure-based cognitive behavioural therapy adapted for delivery via virtual reality to support social functioning and social cognition in young people recovering from psychosis. The interventional condition within the study is the second version (VR-CBT 2.0) of a previously designed version that has been piloted with young people in a previous related project. In this project, six youth advisors aged 16-30 with lived experience of psychotic symptoms and social challenges were recruited to participate in six online group workshops (2 hours each) and one individual session (14 hours total) over six months. VR-CBT 2.0 will be developed following a user centred design process with a group of lived experience experts as an enhancement to our original version. As part of the intervention, participants will be offered 12 sessions (60 minutes), up to 2 per week, over a maximum of 3-months post baseline. VR-CBT 2.0 will include social cognitive interventions embedded in virtual social environments targeting all four key social cognition domains (1) Emotion recognition (2) Theory of mind, (3) Social perception/knowledge and (4) Attributional biases. VR-CBT 1.0 & 2.0 will be delivered via virtual reality where the participant will wear the VR headset while the VR clinician will speak to them through the headset and voice some of the avatars within the virtual environment to support young people in developing their social and cognitive functioning skills. Meta Quest 2 headsets will be used to deliver the intervention. The clinical intervention will be administered in one-on-one face-to-face appointments lasting 1-hour. Clinical psychologists who have been trained in delivering the intervention via virtual reality will administer the clinical intervention.