Actively Recruiting
Virtual Reality Therapy for Voice Hearing (VR-VOICES): a Randomized Controlled Trial
Led by University Medical Center Groningen · Updated on 2025-09-10
112
Participants Needed
3
Research Sites
169 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
U
University Medical Center Groningen
Lead Sponsor
Z
ZonMw: The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Rationale: Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) - hearing voices that others cannot hear - are common in mental illnesses. For many people AVH are distressing, disabling and persistent, despite medication. Current psychological interventions show low to medium effects. Preliminary studies suggest that an innovative empowering psychological therapy using computer simulations representing the AVH (avatars) can be effective for reducing AVH distress and frequency. Virtual reality (VR) has the potential to improve this treatment. Therefore, we developed a novel VR treatment for this problem. In this study, the effect of this treatment will be investigated. Objective: To test the effect of a novel VR treatment for AVH (VR-VOICES) on distress and frequency of AVH in patients with a psychiatric disorder. Furthermore, to investigate the effect of VR-VOICES on clinical symptoms, quality of life, and healthcare costs of the treatment.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Virtual Reality Therapy for Voice Hearing (VR-VOICES): a Randomized Controlled Trial
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Having a DSM-5 diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder
- Experiencing distressing auditory verbal hallucinations for at least 3 months
- Being 16 years of age or older
You will not qualify if you...
- Insufficient command of the Dutch language
- Unable to provide informed consent
- Primary diagnosis of substance use disorder or organic brain disease such as dementia
- Substance abuse that interferes with treatment adherence
- Auditory verbal hallucinations in a language not spoken by therapists
- Receiving or recently received CBT focused on empowerment over voices within 6 months prior to enrollment
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Trial Site Locations
Total: 3 locations
1
Lentis
Groningen, Provincie Groningen, Netherlands
Not Yet Recruiting
2
GGZ Drenthe
Assen, Netherlands
Actively Recruiting
3
University Medical Center Groningen
Groningen, Netherlands, 9712EW
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
C
Chris Geraets, dr
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
SINGLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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