Optimising AVATAR therapy for distressing voices
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Optimising AVATAR therapy for distressing voices: a multi-centre randomised controlled trial
IRAS ID
277118
Contact name
Philippa A Garety
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN55682735
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 1 months, 31 days
Research summary
AVATAR Therapy is a computer-assisted treatment of distressing voices in people with experiences of psychosis (e.g. a diagnosis of schizophrenia). It involves a three-way conversation between therapist, patient and a digital image on a computer (‘avatar’) of his/her distressing voice. The therapist, sitting in a different room from the patient, speaks either as him/herself or in a digitally transformed voice as the avatar. The patient sits in front of a computer screen on which the avatar appears. The therapy as originally developed was 8 sessions with two components – an initial phase (1-3 sessions) focused on reducing anxiety when confronting the avatar followed by a second phase (4 -8 sessions) of more complex conversations based on the person’s beliefs about the identity, power and threat of the voices. The technique has been shown to be effective in reducing voice frequency and associated distress when compared to a waiting list control (Leff et al 2012) and to supportive counselling (Craig et al 2018). As both phases were delivered to all participants in these studies, it was not possible to understand the effectiveness of each phase separately.
In this clinical trial across multiple sites, 345 participants will be randomised to 3 groups of equal size: Treatment As Usual (TAU)(their usual care), extended therapy + TAU (12 sessions comprising both ‘phases’ described earlier) or brief therapy + TAU (6 sessions delivering the first anxiety management phase only). The primary outcome of the study will be reduction in distress associated with voice(s) as measured by the Psychotic Symptoms Rating Scales at baseline, 16 and 28 weeks.REC name
London - Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/LO/0657
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jun 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion