Extrait

Background and study aims The experience of distressing voices that persist despite medical treatment is a serious problem for many patients suffering from severe mental health problems. Avatar therapy is a new computer-assisted therapy that has shown some benefit in a small pilot study. The aim of the present study is to test whether avatar therapy is more effective than supportive counselling. Who can participate? Anyone aged over 18 who has experienced voices speaking in English that have persisted for at least 12 months despite medical treatment. What does the study involve? After consenting to take part, a researcher will ask you questions about the voices you hear, your mental and physical health and how the voices affect the quality of your life. You will then be randomly allocated to either avatar therapy or supportive counselling. Random allocation means by chance, a bit like flipping a coin. It is a way of testing two treatments by ensuring that researchers are not being biased in the choice of the two treatments. If you are allocated to the avatar therapy, we will help you to use a computer program to develop an 'avatar' (image and voice) similar to the person or entity whose voice bothers you. The therapist will use this avatar in the therapy sessions to talk with you and help you to practice ways of coping with the voices. If you are allocated to supportive counselling, you will not create or use the avatar but will talk with the therapist about the voice, your everyday life and how you are feeling more generally. Both types of treatment are given over six sessions of a half-hour each. All treatment sessions are recorded and you will be given these recordings on a small MP3 player to take away to use on your own at any time. After the six therapy sessions a researcher will ask you the same questions we asked before you started therapy. We will then contact you again at 12 and 24 weeks from when you joined the study to see whether any improvement has continued. We will also be interested in your views about the therapy and how it may be improved in future. What are the possible benefits and risks of participating? The possible benefits are reductions in the frequency, severity and distress caused by the voices. The risks are that the treatment may be distressing and may not be effective. Where is the study run from? Clinics in the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (UK). When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for? The study will be starting in the early summer of 2013 and is expected to run for 3 years. Who is funding the study? The study is being funded by the Wellcome Trust (UK). Who is the main contact? Professor Thomas J Craig [email protected]

Critère d'inclusion

• Severe Mental illness

Liens

• isrctn
• ictrp