@article{du_sert_virtual_2018,

title = {Virtual reality therapy for refractory auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia: A pilot clinical trial},

author = {O. P. Sert and S. Potvin and O. Lipp and L. Dellazizzo and M. Laurelli and R. Breton and P. Lalonde and K. Phraxayavong and K. O'Connor and J. -F. Pelletier and T. Boukhalfi and P. Renaud and A. Dumais},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85042420594&doi=10.1016%2fj.schres.2018.02.031&partnerID=40&md5=fe98669ecfdfb69d05cc9ebb58fecdcc},

doi = {10.1016/j.schres.2018.02.031},

issn = {09209964},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-01-01},

journal = {Schizophrenia Research},

volume = {197},

pages = {176–181},

abstract = {Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental illness that poses significant challenges. While many pharmacological and psychosocial interventions are available, many treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients continue to suffer from persistent psychotic symptoms, notably auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH), which are highly disabling. This unmet clinical need requires new innovative treatment options. Recently, a psychological therapy using computerized technology has shown large therapeutic effects on AVH severity by enabling patients to engage in a dialogue with a computerized representation of their voices. These very promising results have been extended by our team using immersive virtual reality (VR). Our study was a 7-week phase-II, randomized, partial cross-over trial. Nineteen schizophrenia patients with refractory AVH were recruited and randomly allocated to either VR-assisted therapy (VRT) or treatment-as-usual (TAU). The group allocated to TAU consisted of antipsychotic treatment and usual meetings with clinicians. The TAU group then received a delayed 7 weeks of VRT. A follow-up was ensured 3 months after the last VRT therapy session. Changes in psychiatric symptoms, before and after TAU or VRT, were assessed using a linear mixed-effects model. Our findings showed that VRT produced significant improvements in AVH severity, depressive symptoms and quality of life that lasted at the 3-month follow-up period. Consistent with previous research, our results suggest that VRT might be efficacious in reducing AVH related distress. The therapeutic effects of VRT on the distress associated with the voices were particularly prominent (d = 1.2). VRT is a highly novel and promising intervention for refractory AVH in schizophrenia. © 2018},

note = {Publisher: Elsevier B.V.},

keywords = {adult, article, auditory hallucination, auditory verbal hallucination, clinical article, clinical effectiveness, computer assisted therapy, Computer-Assisted, controlled study, Cross-Over Studies, crossover procedure, disease severity, distress syndrome, female, follow up, Follow-Up Studies, hallucination, Hallucinations, human, Humans, male, Middle Aged, neuroleptic agent, outcome assessment, Outcome Assessment (Health Care), phase 2 clinical trial, physiology, Pilot Projects, pilot study, priority journal, procedures, psychotherapy, quality of life, randomized controlled trial, schizophrenia, Speech Perception, symptom, Therapy, therapy delay, therapy effect, treatment duration, treatment response, virtual reality, virtual reality exposure therapy},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}