VIRTUAL REALITY COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOR PARANOID DELUSIONS.

Background: Seventy percent of patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders has paranoid delusions. Paranoid delusions are associated with great distress, hospital admission and social isolation. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the main psychological treatment, but the median effect size is only small to medium. Virtual reality (VR) has a great potential to improve psychological treatment of paranoid delusions. In a previous study, we found that VR based CBT (VRcbt) for paranoid delusions is effective compared to waiting list. As a next step, a direct comparison with standard CBT is needed. The aim of this project is to investigate if VRcbt is more (cost-)effective than standard CBT for treatment of paranoid delusions and improving daily life social functioning of patients with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. Three research questions will be addressed: 1. Does VRcbt lead to better clinical and social outcomes? 2. Are fewer treatment sessions needed to achieve meaningful clinical change? 3. Is VRcbt more cost-effective at 6 months follow-up? Methods: A total of 106 patients with DSM-5 diagnosis of psychotic disorder and at least moderate level of paranoid ideations will be randomized to either VRcbt or standard CBT treatment for paranoid delusions. VRcbt consists of maximum 16 sessions in virtual social situations that trigger paranoid ideations and distress, delivered in an 8–12 week time frame. Standard CBT also consists of maximum 16 sessions, aiming at reappraisal of the meaning of paranoid beliefs to reduce distress and improve coping in daily life, including the use of exposure and behavioral experiments. Participants will be interviewed and tested at baseline, post-treatment and at six months follow-up. Primary outcome is level of paranoid ideations in daily life social situations, measured with ecological momentary assessments (EMA) at semi-random moments ten times a day during seven days, before and after treatment. Every session, participants and therapists will rate level of paranoid ideation and global clinical impression. Results: Seven mental health services throughout the Netherlands participate in this RCT. Up until now, fourteen psychologists have been trained in VRcbt and the first patients have been included in the trial. Discussion: Comparison of VRcbt and cbt will provide information about the relative (cost-)effectiveness of VRcbt for this population. VRcbt may become the preferred psychological treatment for paranoid delusions and social anxiety in patients with psychotic disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]