Compassion-focused Mental Health Intervention With Exposure Training in Virtual Reality for Youngsters Living in an Institution

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether a compassion-focused therapy (CFT) program combined with exposure training in virtual reality can reduce symptoms of conduct disorder and psychopathic traits in male youths aged 15 to 20 who are living in prisons or state residential schools. The study also aims to see if this intervention improves emotional well-being and to identify factors like motivation and mental health that might influence how well participants stick with the program. Additionally, the costs of the program will be assessed. Participants will either receive the CFT-based intervention, which includes 20 weekly sessions lasting 60 minutes each, along with practicing new skills in five tailored virtual reality training sessions, plus the usual psychosocial rehabilitation offered by their institutions; or they will receive only the standard psychosocial rehabilitation without the CFT and VR training. This study is non-randomized and open-label, comparing these two groups. During the study, participants will self-report changes in psychopathic traits using the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory-Short version at 5 months. Other assessments at 5 months include scales measuring well-being, emotion regulation, quality of life, self-compassion, compassion, clinical outcomes, motivation, alexithymia, and personal feelings. The study is designed to last at least 9 months, with participants monitored throughout their stay in the institution.

CFT-focused Mental Health Intervention With Exposure Training for Youngsters