Virtual Reality Aggression Prevention Training (VRAPT) for (Forensic) Psychiatric Patients

NCT05293834 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 68

Last updated 2025-07-09

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Violent and aggressive behavior as well as disorders related to aggressive behavior are highly common in both adult and juvenile forensic psychiatric patients, and is also present in a subgroup of non-forensic psychiatric in- and out-patients. One promising new treatment option is Virtual Reality. A newly developed program in this area is the Virtual Reality Aggression Prevention Training (VRAPT). The purpose of the current feasibility and pilot study is to test VRAPT in a Swiss forensic and non-forensic psychiatric setting, including both adult and juvenile patients, and to examine whether VRAPT is an effective treatment method for aggressive behavior.

Conditions

  • Forensic Psychiatry

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Virtual Reality Aggression Prevention Training (VRAPT)

VRAPT consists of sixteen 45- to 60-minute sessions that take place once or twice per week (total duration of the intervention = 8 to 16 weeks). Session time and intensity will be adapted to the individual participant and the sessions will be delivered by specially trained VRAPT therapists in individual settings. The immersive and interactive three-dimensional virtual environment will be presented via headphones and head-mounted displays, using software developed by CleVR. In the virtual environment, participants will interact with virtual characters that are controlled by the psychotherapist and practice new skills . The therapy program is targeted at factors and processes related to aggression and the underlying theoretical framework is based on cognitive behavioural therapy and the General Aggression Model (GAM). The VRAPT consists of 4 phases: 1. Introduction (Session 1) 2. Inventory phase (Sessions 2-6) 3. Skills-training (Sessions 6-15) 4. Evaluation (Session 16)

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University Psychiatric Clinics Basel

    collaborator NETWORK
  • University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Cyril Boonmann, PhD · Psychiatric University Hospitals (UPK) Basel

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
12 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2022-09-21
Primary Completion
2027-05-31
Completion
2027-05-31

Countries

  • Switzerland

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT05293834 on ClinicalTrials.gov