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Training Reward Responsiveness Through Virtual Reality

NCT07219875 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 80

Last updated 2026-05-07

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of Virtual Reality-Reward Training (VR-RT) with an active control condition, Virtual Reality-Memory Training (VR-MT), on positive affect and other clinical symptoms.

VR-Reward Training is a novel intervention aimed at enhancing savoring of positive experiences among individuals with depression and low positive affect through guided imaginal recounting following immersion in positive VR experiences. The current study tests an enhanced version of this training using improved virtual reality technology.

Target enrollment is 80 participants with low positive affect, depression, and impaired functioning, who are at least 18 years old, who will be randomly assigned to 7 weeks of either Virtual Reality-Reward Training (VR-RT) or Virtual Reality-Memory Training (VR-MT). Participants will complete in-person VR sessions, laboratory assessments, self-report questionnaires as part of the study. A subset of 8 participants randomly assigned to VR-RT will complete fMRI scans and EMA surveys.

The total length of participation is around 3 months.

Conditions

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Virtual Reality-Memory Training (VR-MT)

Participants will complete verbal recounting (past-tense, observer perspective, objective details) and guided imaginal recounting of neutral details for neutral VR experiences and neutral non-personal stories

BEHAVIORAL

Virtual Reality-Reward Training (VR-RT)

Participants will complete verbal recounting (present-tense, field perspective, positive details) and guided imaginal recounting of positive details for rewarding VR experiences and positive autobiographical memories.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-07-08
Primary Completion
2027-06-30
Completion
2027-06-30

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases
Companies

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 NCT07219875 on ClinicalTrials.gov