VR-SOAP - Virtual Reality Treatment for improving SOcial Activities and Participation of young people with psychosis: a pilot study

Young people with a psychotic disorder have the same social goals as their
healthy peers, but their social networks are smaller, they participate less
often in leisure activities and are less successful in work and education.
Causes of these problems are multifaceted, but culminate in difficulties with
interacting in daily life social situations. Current treatments have only
moderate effects on social functioning. Virtual reality (VR) has a great
potential to improve training of social interactions difficulties. We have
developed a VR treatment for this problem. In this study it will be
investigated of this treatment helps.

The objective of this study is to pilot this novel VR treatment for social
interaction difficulties (VR-SOAP) in preparation of a subsequent randomized
controlled trial (RCT). The aim of the study is threefold: 1) to investigate
the feasibility and acceptability of the therapy, 2) to evaluate and improve
the treatment protocol using input from therapists and participants, 3) to
explore sensitivity to change of outcome measures.

Pilot study with a pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental design.

VR-SOAP is a VR treatment of 14 weekly sessions, focusing on enhancing quantity
and quality of social contacts, leisure activities and participation of young
people with a psychotic disorder (social functionng). The VR-SOAP intervention
will have four optional modules (1-4) and one fixed module (5): 1. Negative
symptoms, 2. Social cognition, 3. Paranoid ideations and Social anxiety, 4.
Self-esteem and Self-stigma, and 5. Communication and Interaction skills. In
session 1 and 2 (introduction sessions) patient and therapist discuss the
baseline assessment summary and formulate goals with regard to social contacts,
leisure activities and/or social participation. Patient and therapist select
two out of four optional VR modules (4 sessions each), depending on the
perceived causes of the social interaction difficulties and the patient's
goals. All patients will end with the Communication- and interaction skills
module (4 sessions).

Questionnaires and ESM are used at 2 times (baseline [T0] and end of treatment
[T1]). The questionnaires will take approximately 165-175 minutes x 2 = 330-350
minutes. Optionally, an additional measurement takes place of approximately 40
minutes x 2 = 80 minutes. Patients will complete the ESM five times a day
during two weeks (T0, T1). The diary will consist of 39 items and will take 3-4
minutes to complete per assessment (5 x 14 x 3-4 minutes x 2 = 420-560
minutes). The patients will have 14 sessions (maximum 60 minutes), during a 4
month timeframe. We expect patients to benefit in the VR-SOAP condition. It is
possible some patients may experience simulator sickness symptoms during
VR-SOAP. No major adverse events are expected.