Virtual reality for psycho-education on self-stigma in depression: Design of a randomised controlled trial
Background: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a prevalent and disabling mental health condition. Patients with MDD often deal with self-stigma, which can lead to more depressive symptoms. Psychoeducation about depression has proven to be effective in reducing depressive symptomatology and self-stig...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Psychiatry Research Communications |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772598722000678 |
| _version_ | 1811293287283163136 |
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| author | Nancy Schipper-Kramer Freher Anika Bexkens Martine van Bennekom Wim Veling Claudi L.H. Bockting |
| author_facet | Nancy Schipper-Kramer Freher Anika Bexkens Martine van Bennekom Wim Veling Claudi L.H. Bockting |
| author_sort | Nancy Schipper-Kramer Freher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a prevalent and disabling mental health condition. Patients with MDD often deal with self-stigma, which can lead to more depressive symptoms. Psychoeducation about depression has proven to be effective in reducing depressive symptomatology and self-stigma. Involving a significant other in psychoeducation for depression, might increase mutual understanding. Virtual reality (VR) offers the opportunity to experience the perspective of having or living with someone with a mental condition. For this study an immersive VR environment is developed. The main objective of this study is to test whether our VR psychoeducation intervention is more successful in reducing self-stigma than standard psychoeducation for MDD. Methods: In this randomised controlled trial (RCT), 80 couples of patients and their significant other will be included and randomly assigned to one of two conditions: the VR psychoeducation intervention and standard psychoeducation. Patients will be aged 18 to 65, diagnosed with MDD. The main study parameter is self-stigma, as measured by the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale. Secondary parameters include depressive symptoms, loneliness and perceived social support for the patient and burden of care and quality of life for the significant other. Limitations: No control for nonspecific factors, limited individual adjustment, patients are not able to participate without a significant other. Conclusions: VR might open up the opportunity to reduce self-stigma and thereby improve the efficacy of psychoeducation in MDD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:59:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-af385e680d444f76879a9c088d6fe858 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2772-5987 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:59:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psychiatry Research Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-af385e680d444f76879a9c088d6fe8582022-12-22T03:01:23ZengElsevierPsychiatry Research Communications2772-59872022-12-0124100086Virtual reality for psycho-education on self-stigma in depression: Design of a randomised controlled trialNancy Schipper-Kramer Freher0Anika Bexkens1Martine van Bennekom2Wim Veling3Claudi L.H. Bockting4GGZ Delfland, Center for Mental Healthcare, Delft, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Corresponding author. GGZ Delfland, Postbus 5016, 2600 GA, Delft, the Netherlands.GGZ Delfland, Center for Mental Healthcare, Delft, the Netherlands; Leiden University, Department of Psychology, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Leiden, the NetherlandsGGZ Delfland, Center for Mental Healthcare, Delft, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, the NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Centre for Urban Mental Health, University of Amsterdam, the NetherlandsBackground: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a prevalent and disabling mental health condition. Patients with MDD often deal with self-stigma, which can lead to more depressive symptoms. Psychoeducation about depression has proven to be effective in reducing depressive symptomatology and self-stigma. Involving a significant other in psychoeducation for depression, might increase mutual understanding. Virtual reality (VR) offers the opportunity to experience the perspective of having or living with someone with a mental condition. For this study an immersive VR environment is developed. The main objective of this study is to test whether our VR psychoeducation intervention is more successful in reducing self-stigma than standard psychoeducation for MDD. Methods: In this randomised controlled trial (RCT), 80 couples of patients and their significant other will be included and randomly assigned to one of two conditions: the VR psychoeducation intervention and standard psychoeducation. Patients will be aged 18 to 65, diagnosed with MDD. The main study parameter is self-stigma, as measured by the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale. Secondary parameters include depressive symptoms, loneliness and perceived social support for the patient and burden of care and quality of life for the significant other. Limitations: No control for nonspecific factors, limited individual adjustment, patients are not able to participate without a significant other. Conclusions: VR might open up the opportunity to reduce self-stigma and thereby improve the efficacy of psychoeducation in MDD.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772598722000678PsychoeducationVirtual realityMajor depressive disorderSelf-stigmaSignificant others |
| spellingShingle | Nancy Schipper-Kramer Freher Anika Bexkens Martine van Bennekom Wim Veling Claudi L.H. Bockting Virtual reality for psycho-education on self-stigma in depression: Design of a randomised controlled trial Psychiatry Research Communications Psychoeducation Virtual reality Major depressive disorder Self-stigma Significant others |
| title | Virtual reality for psycho-education on self-stigma in depression: Design of a randomised controlled trial |
| title_full | Virtual reality for psycho-education on self-stigma in depression: Design of a randomised controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | Virtual reality for psycho-education on self-stigma in depression: Design of a randomised controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Virtual reality for psycho-education on self-stigma in depression: Design of a randomised controlled trial |
| title_short | Virtual reality for psycho-education on self-stigma in depression: Design of a randomised controlled trial |
| title_sort | virtual reality for psycho education on self stigma in depression design of a randomised controlled trial |
| topic | Psychoeducation Virtual reality Major depressive disorder Self-stigma Significant others |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772598722000678 |
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