Face Your Fears: Cognitive Behavioural Virtual Reality Therapy for "Paranoia". (FYF)
Paranoid Schizophrenia, Schizophrenia and Related Disorders, Schizophrenia Prodromal
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Paranoid Schizophrenia
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 18 - years
- Ability to give informed consent
- A schizophrenia spectrum disorder (ICD-10 code: F20 -F29)
- Green Paranoid Thought Scale total score ≥ 40
Exclusion Criteria:
- Rejecting informed consent
- A diagnosis of organic brain disease
- IQ of 70 or lower (known mental retardation as assessed by medical record)
- A command of spoken Danish or English inadequate for engaging in therapy
- Inability to tolerate the assessment process
Sites / Locations
- Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health - CORERecruiting
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Cognitive Behavioural Virtual Reality Therapy (CBT-VR)
Traditional Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
The CBT-VR consists of traditional CBT with the augmentation of virtual reality exposure. The virtual reality exposure comprises four virtual social environments (a bus, café, street, and supermarket). These are daily social situations that generally elicit paranoid thinking in patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. While virtually engaging in these distressing situations, the therapist will facilitate a CBT dialogue aimed at generating alternative (i.e. non-threatening) thinking, diminishing safety behaviours (e.g. social isolation), and building up new coping strategies. This is expected to alleviate distress, anxiety, and improve daily social functioning. Preliminary findings reveal this virtual reality program to be well-tolerated and highly effective in reducing paranoia and anxiety in psychosis. Patients will be offered 10 individual sessions.
The treatment in the CBT group will follow the core principles of CBT used for psychotic disorders. The CBT treatment facilitates an individualised, problem-oriented approach, and uses key CBT techniques such as developing a problem and goal list, normalising psychotic-like experiences, evaluation of appraisals, and removing or diminishing safety behaviour. Patients will be offered 10 individual sessions.