The following is a summary of “Immersive virtual reality in the treatment of auditory hallucinations: A PRISMA scoping review,” published in the April 2024 issue of Psychiatry by Smith et al.
Patients with psychiatric disorders often face auditory hallucinations (AH), which are usually verbal (AVH), and the content is critical or abusive. To treat such mental health disorders, trials with immersive virtual reality (VR) usage are emerging.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to provide an overview of clinical trials utilizing VR while treating AH and to record knowledge gaps.
They used PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase studies to review the reporting use of VR to target AH. The review used the guidelines outlined in preferred reporting items for systematic and meta-analysis (PRISMA) extension for scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR).
The results showed that 4,203 articles were reviewed for screening, of which only 63 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 16 studies were included in the PRISMA-ScR. Most studies using VR therapy (VRT) were employed to ameliorate treatment-resistant AVH in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Only two studies involved patients diagnosed with affective disorders. They used an avatar to represent the voice patients hear most often.
Investigators concluded that using VI to treat AH shows promise. However, more extensive trials are required to prove the efficacy of this therapy.
Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178124001197
