Third wave VR therapy: All participants in this trial will receive the VR intervention which is adapted from third wave CBT protocols (including mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and focuses on decentering-the ability to step back and view thoughts and emotions as temporary, objective events rather than identifying with them. Decentering has been linked to improved emotional regulation, reduced rumination, and better psychological flexibility, which in turn can lead to improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms. The intervention is clinician-delivered in a clinical setting, one-on-one, over 4-5 sessions (60 min each) across 10-12 weeks. Each session includes psychoeducation, a 15-minute VR experience, and debriefing. Sessions cover three core techniques targeting improvement in decentering ability: 1) arousal reduction via controlled breathing, 2) sitting with discomfort without reacting, and 3) cognitive defusion by changing perception of negative thoughts.
Study summary
This research will evaluate a new virtual reality (VR) intervention to support youth with depression and anxiety. While VR has shown promise for adult mental health, little is known about its use in youth or routine clinical care. The VR intervention is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and immerses young people in fun, engaging environments to teach practical coping skills for managing distress. Clinicians within youth mental health services will use the VR intervention within their routine treatment of young people. The study will evaluate both the preliminary effectiveness of the VR intervention for improving youth mental health, as well as real-world implementation outcomes to understand how it can be successfully adopted in clinical settings. The trial will use a single-group, pre-post design, with treating clinicians delivering the intervention to up to 75 young people seeking treatment for depression and anxiety over a 12-week period. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, immediately after the intervention (12 weeks), and four weeks post-intervention (16 weeks).
Eligibility
Sex
ALL
Min age
12 Years
Max age
25 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
There are three populations recruited for this trial:
INCLUSION CRITERIA
Young people
1. Aged between 12-25 years (inclusive)
2. Current client of a participating youth mental health service
3. Seeking or receiving treatment for depression and/or anxiety
4. Sufficient command of the English language
Clinicians Employed at a participating youth mental health service and involved in the delivery of psychological treatment of young people presenting with depression and anxiety
Service staff Work within a participating youth mental health service in a leadership (team lead or service manager) or administrative role.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
Young people
1. Moderate or severe audio or visual condition precluding engagement with the VR equipment (assessed on a case-by-case basis)
2. Counter indication based on clinical judgement e.g., active suicidal risk or intellectual disability.
Clinicians Unable to commit to delivering the MIND intervention (5 sessions over 10-12 weeks).
Service staff Nil
Primary outcome measure(s)
Feasibility - recruitment and retention rates — Baseline Rates of how many participants sign up and are enrolled in the program, along with the drop-out rate throughout the program.
Acceptability - intervention endorsement — 12 weeks post intervention commencement Proportion of respondents who state they would recommend the intervention to other young people, measured using a purpose built self-report acceptability questionnaire. 1-5 scale, higher scores indicate higher likelihood or recommending to others.
Effectiveness - severity of depression — Baseline, 12 weeks post intervention commencement, 16 week post intervention commencement (follow up) Mean pre-post scores, effect sizes and associated confidence intervals for the severity of depression assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8). Range 0-28, higher indicates more severe depression.
Effectiveness - severity of anxiety — Time Frame: Baseline, 12 weeks post intervention commencement, 16 week post intervention commencement (follow up) Description: Mean pre-post scores, effect sizes and associated confidence intervals for the severity of anxiety assessed by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Range 0-28, higher indicates more severe anxiety.
Trial sites (1)
Facility
City
Region
Status
Orygen, Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne
This page summarises publicly available registry data for informational purposes — not medical advice. Eligibility is determined by each study team; patients should discuss participation with their clinician.
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