NCT07373223 Virtual Reality Schema Therapy Exercises With Parent and Child Modes
| NCT ID | NCT07373223 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | University Medical Center Groningen |
| Condition | Psychiatric Disorders |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 30 participants |
| Start Date | 2026-02-14 |
| Primary Completion | 2026-09-15 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
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What to Expect as a Participant
You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.
This trial targets 30 participants in total. It began in 2026-02-14 with a primary completion date of 2026-09-15.
⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.
Brief Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to develop a Virtual Reality version of a Schema Therapy exercise and test its feasibility, acceptability and potential usefulness in people with psychiatric disorders (age 18-65). The main questions the investigators aim to answer are: 1. Are dialogue exercises with virtual reality mode avatars feasible, acceptable and useful? 2. How do patients experience VR schema therapy exercises (in terms of immersion, elicited emotions, therapeutic relationship or subjective efficacy) and are the exercises potentially effective (in terms of schema mode scores, self-criticism, self-compassion and self-esteem)? 3. In case of a potential 'effect', is this moderated by mental imagery ability? The investigators hypothesize that 1) dialogue exercises with virtual reality mode avatars are feasible, ac-ceptable and useful according the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM; Davis, 1989); 2) patients experience high levels of immersion, elicited emotions and subjective efficacy, a strong therapeutic relationship, and show effects on schema mode scores and self-compassion and self-esteem scores; and 3) these effects are moderated by patients' mental imagery ability in such a way that patients with less mental imagery abilities benefit most. The development of the VR version of the exercise will be done in collaboration with patients and therapists. To test its feasibility, acceptability and potential usefulness, participants will be invited to receive one session of the exercise. During this session, they will complete some questionnaires before and after the exercise, and they will be asked about their opinions about and experiences of the exercise.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 18-65 years of age * In treatment at a tertiary treatment facility (UCP, UMCG) * Whose current psychological distress is related to early life experiences as indicated by a clinician * Score of \>3 on one of three schema modes on the SMI (Lobbestael et al., 2010) Exclusion Criteria: * Insufficient command of the Dutch language * Primary diagnosis of a substance use disorder, or organic brain disease (such as dementia) * Unable to provide informed consent
Contact & Investigator
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT07373223 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, up to 65 Years, studying Psychiatric Disorders. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT07373223 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT07373223 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at e.c.d.van.der.stouwe@umcg.nl for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT07373223 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Groningen, Netherlands.
Who is sponsoring the NCT07373223 clinical trial?
NCT07373223 is sponsored by University Medical Center Groningen. The trial plans to enroll 30 participants.