RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT06882629

VR Homework Exercises for Selective Mutism Treatment

The Effect of Virtual Reality Homework Exercises As an Add-On to Behavioral Therapy for Children with Selective Mutism

Sponsor

Luuk Stapersma

Enrollment

15 participants

Start Date

Mar 1, 2025

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Selective Mutism Anxiety Disorder of Childhood

Summary

Selective mustism (SM) is an anxiety disorder that manifests in childhood. Children with Children with SM do not speak in certain social situations where this is expected of them. For example, a child may talk at home, but is afraid to speak at school. The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the efficacy of behavioral therapy for children with selective mutism (SM) combined with virtual reality (VR) homework exercises. Virtual Reality Exposure is an effective treatment for adults with anxiety disorders. The main questions to answer are: * Is behavioral therapy combined with VR homework exercises effective in the treatment of SM? * Which familial factors contribute to a positive treatment outcome and homework adherence? A single-case experimental design (SCED) will be used to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment. The child's speaking behavior at baseline will be compared to the child's speaking behavior in the different phases of the intervention. Participants will: * Follow individual therapy sessions at school. * Practice with the VR homework exercises at least once a week. * Parents and teachers will evaluate the child's speaking behavior.

Eligibility

Min Age: 4 YearsMax Age: 13 Years

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This study is testing whether virtual reality (VR) homework exercises can help children with selective mutism — a condition where a child is unable to speak in certain social situations, like at school, even though they can speak fine at home. The VR exercises are used between regular therapy sessions. **You may be eligible if...** - Your child meets the clinical criteria for selective mutism as the main condition being treated - Your child is in primary school - Your child was referred to a child and adolescent psychiatry center for selective mutism treatment - Other psychiatric diagnoses are allowed if selective mutism is the main focus - Any medications must have been stable for at least 4 weeks **You may NOT be eligible if...** - No parents are available to participate - Parents do not speak sufficient Dutch - The child or parents have an estimated IQ below 75 - The child needs inpatient (hospital-based) treatment - The child has epilepsy, claustrophobia, or a condition that makes VR headset use unsafe - The child received formal behavioral therapy for selective mutism in the past 12 months Talk to your doctor to see if this trial is right for you.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

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Interventions

BEHAVIORAL'Speaking at school, a matter of doing' combined with VR homework exercises

The treatment in this study consists of behavioral therapy for selective mutism (with the protocol 'Speaking at school, a matter of doing') with the addition of the VR homework exercises. The protocol consists of 10 steps that help the child to gain confidence while speaking at school. For every treatment step there are VR homework exercises available. Families receive a VR headset for the duration of the study. Parents are instructed to work on the VR homework exercises at least once a week and encouraged to work on the VR homework exercises several times a week.

Locations(1)

Levvel

Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

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NCT06882629

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