ArticleJMIR mental health2020
Virtual Reality Behavioral Activation as an Intervention for Major Depressive Disorder: Case Report.
Article in JMIR mental health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04268316 (Virtual Reality Behavioral Activation), which is not on this map. Cited by 15 papers.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Virtual Reality Behavioral Activation: An Intervention for Major Depressive Disorder
Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 36 citations in OpenAlex.
- Trial
- Examining the Efficacy of Extended Reality-Enhanced Behavioral Activation for Adults With Major Depressive Disorder: Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mental health · 2024Trial
- Pilot randomized trial of self-guided virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder.Behaviour research and therapy · 2021Trial
- The Use of Virtual Therapy in Cardiac Rehabilitation of Female Patients with Heart Disease.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2021Trial
- Applying Virtual Reality in Mindfulness Exercises for Emotion Regulation and Mental Health Among Inpatients With Behavioral Issues: A Feasibility Study.American journal of health promotion : AJHP · 2026Article
- Enhancing Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in a Virtual Reality: A Prospective Interventional Study.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- The impact of immersive virtual reality meditation for depression and anxiety among inpatients with major depressive and generalized anxiety disorders.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Article
- V-CarE-A Conceptual Design Model for Providing COVID-19 Pandemic Awareness: Proposal for a Virtual Reality Design Approach to Facilitate People With Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness.JMIR research protocols · 2023Article
- Characterization of 2 Novel Phosphodiesterase 2 Inhibitors Hcyb1 and PF-05180999 on Depression- and Anxiety-Like Behavior.The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology · 2023Article
- Preference of Virtual Reality Games in Psychological Pressure and Depression Treatment: Discrete Choice Experiment.JMIR serious games · 2023Article
- Acceptability, feasibility, and user satisfaction of a virtual reality relaxation intervention in a psychiatric outpatient setting during the COVID-19 pandemic.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2023Article
- Virtual Reality Applications in Medicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review.JMIR serious games · 2022Review
- Virtual Reality Behavioral Activation for Adults With Major Depressive Disorder: Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mental health · 2022Article
- Behavioral Activation through Virtual Reality for Depression: A Single Case Experimental Design with Multiple Baselines.Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Article
- Using virtual reality to target positive autobiographical memory in individuals with moderate-to-moderately severe depressive symptoms: A single case experimental design.Internet interventions · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is a global problem with an increasing incidence and prevalence. There has additionally been an increase in depression due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Behavioral activation is considered an evidence-based treatment for MDD. However, there are many barriers that could hinder one's ability to engage in behavioral activation, with COVID-19 "shelter-in-place" and social distancing orders being current and large impediments. Virtual reality (VR) has been successfully used to help treat a variety of mental health conditions, but it has not yet been used as a method of administering behavioral activation to a clinical population. Using VR to engage in behavioral activation could eliminate barriers that pandemic precautions place and help decrease symptoms of depression that are especially exacerbated in these times.
objectiveThe following case report examines the feasibility, acceptability, and tolerability of VR behavioral activation for an adult with MDD during a global pandemic. This participant was part of a larger pilot study, and the case serves as a description of the VR intervention.
methodsThe participant engaged in a weekly 50-minute psychotherapy Zoom session for 4 weeks, in which a modified behavioral activation protocol was administered using a VR headset to simulate activities. Data on mood ratings, homework compliance, and headset use were obtained from the headset. Acceptability, tolerability, and depression symptoms were obtained using self-report rating scales.
resultsThe intervention was feasible, acceptable, and tolerable, as reported by this participant. The participant's depressive symptoms decreased by five-points on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 over a month, with a beginning score of 10 (moderate depression) and a final score of 5 (mild depression).
conclusionsThe implications of these findings for future research are discussed.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04268316; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04268316.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.