Virtual Reality-Assisted Therapy Compared to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Patients With Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia: Assessor-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.
Mélissa Beaudoin, Stéphane Potvin, Sabrina Giguère et al.
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In 30 seconds
This assessor-blind randomized controlled trial compared virtual reality-assisted therapy (VRT) to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in 136 adults with treatment-resistant schizophrenia and persistent auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH). VRT demonstrated a significant time-by-treatment interaction favoring VRT (P = .013) with a moderate effect size (Cohen d = 0.614) at 3 months post-therapy, indicating its superiority in reducing AVH severity.
Key findings
- VRT showed a significant time-by-treatment interaction favoring VRT (P = .013).
- VRT had a moderate effect size of Cohen d = 0.614 at 3 months post-therapy.
- Both therapies improved AVH severity, with VRT showing a large effect size of Cohen d = 1.17 at 3 months.
- VRT also reduced maladaptive beliefs about voices and improved self-esteem.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that virtual reality-assisted therapy may be a more effective intervention for reducing persistent auditory verbal hallucinations in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia compared to traditional cognitive behavioral therapy, highlighting the potential for innovative therapeutic approaches in mental health care.