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Digital Psychotherapy
Principal Investigator and Team
Prof. Dr. Mar Rus-Calafell
Prof. Dr. Tobias Teismann
M.Sc. Nils Ehrbar. M.Sc
Melina Lüker
Ekincan Tas (Digital Engineer).
Collaborator
Prof. Philippa Garety
Prof. Tom Craig, Dr. Thomas Ward
Dr. Clementine Edwards (IoPPN, KCL, United Kingdom)
Prof. Mark Huckvale (UCL, United Kingdom)
Preregistration
https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN35980117
Funding
Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
Duration
Dec. 2023 - present
Description
This is the first pilot feasibility study testing AVATAR_VRSocial therapy in individuals presenting distressing auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) at early stages of psychosis. AVATAR_VRSocial therapy consists of AVATAR therapy as described in Craig et al. (2018), reinforced with a specific focus on control of the voice hearing experience and person’s empowerment in social contexts, by using VR social environments. Its application in early stages of the disorder, along with its combination with other effective techniques to improve social performance and reduce the voices’ interference, may significantly improve the long-term prognosis of those dealing with distressing AVH.