Pioneering clinical trial to test virtual reality psychotherapy for young people with depression
Some studies reveal worrying numbers of young people with symptoms of depression. For this reason, a clinical trial coordinated by Guillem Feixas, professor at the Faculty of Psychology and the Institute of Neurosciences (UBNeuro) of the UB, and Adrián Montesano, lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), is trying to find new tools to improve psychological treatment for this population.
Some studies reveal worrying numbers of young people with symptoms of depression. For this reason, a clinical trial coordinated by Guillem Feixas, professor at the Faculty of Psychology and the Institute of Neurosciences (UBNeuro) of the UB, and Adrián Montesano, lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), is trying to find new tools to improve psychological treatment for this population.
The study, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, will analyse the usefulness of personal construct therapy in people aged 18-29 with mild to moderate symptoms of depression. It will also explore whether this therapy is more effective in combination with EYME, an innovative virtual reality application.
Lecturer Adrian Montesano explains that depression affects "between 60% and 80% of young people", a figure that has probably reached this point because of the pandemic. “In most cases —he adds—, the symptoms are mild, but we know that the sooner these problems receive attention, the less likely they are to persist in the long term or to worsen”.
"Personal construct therapy is especially focused on how people construct their reality and the meaning they give to the people and the things that happen around them", says Montesano. In recent decades, its results have been positive, but this is the first trial in which it is applied specifically to young people with depressive symptoms. This will make it possible to compare the effectiveness of this therapy with that of cognitive-behavioural therapy, which is taken as a reference and which is based especially on observable behaviours.
EYME, a platform carried out at the UB
Virtual reality has already been tested in exposure therapies to address certain phobias, but this is the first time it will be applied in the treatment of depression and as psychotherapy in general. The virtual reality application EYME, developed by the UB, is a pioneering one: it consists of an immersive digital platform that helps psychotherapists to explore and analyse patients' interpersonal perceptions (it is also applicable to coaching and organisational consultancy). By means of a pre-interview, the system transforms the meanings and persons which are important to the patient's identity into spheres and words that are placed within a three-dimensional space.
This makes it possible to accompany the person on a walk through his or her mind and through his or her universe of meanings and personal values, which favours the therapeutic conversation. "The algorithms it uses are based on work accumulated over two decades, and we believe it can have an added value among the young population: it can improve their adherence to treatment and the attractiveness of psychotherapy", says Montesano.
The patientʼs involvement is decisive
To date, it has been observed that the effectiveness of different types of psychotherapy is —on the whole— the same and that approximately 35% of patients drop out of treatment before it can be considered completed. This is a problem, given that one of the key factors in psychological therapy is the patientsʼ involvement. If the clinical trial that is now being studied were to be successful, it would allow the treatment to be personalised according to personal preferences, which would reduce the drop-out rate.
Professor Guillem Feixas notes: "This trial is important to study whether we can improve the effectiveness of psychotherapy with the help of a humanised technology (it does not replace the therapist) and humanising (self-knowledge is enhanced without labelling the person who consults). We are currently studying it in depression, but we have observed that it works in many other disorders (eating disorders, personality disorders and others) and in life transitions (loss, grief, migration, trauma, etc.), in which the sense of identity has a strong implication. We see an important potential for the future”.
Although the recruitment of volunteers will remain open until early 2023, the trial, which will involve a total of 225 patients, has already begun: the first consultations are being held at the universities involved, as well as at healthcare centres and hospitals associated with the project. People who want to participate must be between 18 and 29 years old and must have mild to moderate symptoms of depression. As part of the study, they will be offered free, scientifically sound therapy sessions conducted by professional experts. Volunteers can sign up directly from the project website, which is in line with Sustainable Development Goal 3.