Virtual reality (VR) therapy for patients with psychosis: Satisfaction and side effects

TY - JOUR

T1 - Virtual reality (VR) therapy for patients with psychosis

T2 - Satisfaction and side effects

AU - Freeman, Daniel

AU - Rosebrock, Laina

AU - Waite, Felicity

AU - Loe, Bao Sheng

AU - Kabir, Thomas

AU - Petit, Ariane

AU - Dudley, Robert

AU - Chapman, Kate

AU - Morrison, Anthony

AU - O'Regan, Eileen

AU - Aynsworth, Charlotte

AU - Jones, Julia

AU - Murphy, Elizabeth

AU - Powling, Rosie

AU - Peel, Heather

AU - Walker, Harry

AU - Byrne, Rory

AU - Freeman, Jason

AU - Rovira, Aitor

AU - Galal, Ushma

AU - Yu, Ly Mee

AU - Clark, David M.

AU - Lambe, Sinéad

N1 - Funding Information: The work was funded by the NHS National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) invention for innovation (i4i) programme (Project II-C7-0117-20001). It was also supported by the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (BRC-1215-2000). DF is an NIHR Senior Investigator. SL is funded by an NIHR doctoral fellowship. This paper presents independent research funded by the NIHR. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR, or the Department of Health and Social Care. FW is funded by a Wellcome Trust Clinical Doctoral Fellowship (102176/B/13/Z). Publisher Copyright: Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press.

PY - 2023/7/28

Y1 - 2023/7/28

N2 - Background Automated virtual reality therapies are being developed to increase access to psychological interventions. We assessed the experience with one such therapy of patients diagnosed with psychosis, including satisfaction, side effects, and positive experiences of access to the technology. We tested whether side effects affected therapy. Methods In a clinical trial 122 patients diagnosed with psychosis completed baseline measures of psychiatric symptoms, received gameChange VR therapy, and then completed a satisfaction questionnaire, the Oxford-VR Side Effects Checklist, and outcome measures. Results 79 (65.8%) patients were very satisfied with VR therapy, 37 (30.8%) were mostly satisfied, 3 (2.5%) were indifferent/mildly dissatisfied, and 1 (0.8%) person was quite dissatisfied. The most common side effects were: difficulties concentrating because of thinking about what might be happening in the room (n = 17, 14.2%); lasting headache (n = 10, 8.3%); and the headset causing feelings of panic (n = 9, 7.4%). Side effects formed three factors: difficulties concentrating when wearing a headset, feelings of panic using VR, and worries following VR. The occurrence of side effects was not associated with number of VR sessions, therapy outcomes, or psychiatric symptoms. Difficulties concentrating in VR were associated with slightly lower satisfaction. VR therapy provision and engagement made patients feel: proud (n = 99, 81.8%); valued (n = 97, 80.2%); and optimistic (n = 96, 79.3%). Conclusions Patients with psychosis were generally very positive towards the VR therapy, valued having the opportunity to try the technology, and experienced few adverse effects. Side effects did not significantly impact VR therapy. Patient experience of VR is likely to facilitate widespread adoption.

AB - Background Automated virtual reality therapies are being developed to increase access to psychological interventions. We assessed the experience with one such therapy of patients diagnosed with psychosis, including satisfaction, side effects, and positive experiences of access to the technology. We tested whether side effects affected therapy. Methods In a clinical trial 122 patients diagnosed with psychosis completed baseline measures of psychiatric symptoms, received gameChange VR therapy, and then completed a satisfaction questionnaire, the Oxford-VR Side Effects Checklist, and outcome measures. Results 79 (65.8%) patients were very satisfied with VR therapy, 37 (30.8%) were mostly satisfied, 3 (2.5%) were indifferent/mildly dissatisfied, and 1 (0.8%) person was quite dissatisfied. The most common side effects were: difficulties concentrating because of thinking about what might be happening in the room (n = 17, 14.2%); lasting headache (n = 10, 8.3%); and the headset causing feelings of panic (n = 9, 7.4%). Side effects formed three factors: difficulties concentrating when wearing a headset, feelings of panic using VR, and worries following VR. The occurrence of side effects was not associated with number of VR sessions, therapy outcomes, or psychiatric symptoms. Difficulties concentrating in VR were associated with slightly lower satisfaction. VR therapy provision and engagement made patients feel: proud (n = 99, 81.8%); valued (n = 97, 80.2%); and optimistic (n = 96, 79.3%). Conclusions Patients with psychosis were generally very positive towards the VR therapy, valued having the opportunity to try the technology, and experienced few adverse effects. Side effects did not significantly impact VR therapy. Patient experience of VR is likely to facilitate widespread adoption.

KW - Psychosis

KW - satisfaction

KW - schizophrenia

KW - side effects

KW - virtual reality

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85129605487&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1017/S0033291722001167

DO - 10.1017/S0033291722001167

M3 - Article

C2 - 35477837

AN - SCOPUS:85129605487

SN - 0033-2917

VL - 53

SP - 4373

EP - 4384

JO - Psychological Medicine

JF - Psychological Medicine

IS - 10

ER -