Cognitive Behavioral Immersion: a Randomized Control Trial of Peer-Based Coaching in the Metaverse

This study will test a new cognitive-behavioral skills training program (CBI) delivered in the metaverse. Although initial evidence suggested CBI was feasible for individuals experiencing depression or anxiety, CBI's effectiveness compared to no intervention has yet to be determined. The intervention may be delivered through virtual reality as well as flat-screen devices, such as a computer, which may also affect CBI's effectiveness.

The study will enroll up to 306 participants with depression. One third of the participants will access CBI through virtual reality, one third of the participants will access CBI through a flat-screen device, and one third of the participants will be asked not to attend CBI sessions for the first 8 weeks of participation of the trial. For both CBI conditions, treatment will be provided over 8 weeks, with a 6-month follow-up period. Enrollment will be ongoing and groups will occur simultaneously.

Potential participants are asked to complete an initial screening and an intake evaluation to determine eligibility. They will then receive 8-weeks of treatment. Participants will complete brief weekly self-report questionnaires throughout their time in the study.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective tools for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Despite its many strengths, CBT-based clinical care is often very expensive and difficult to access. To address problems of accessibility, the field is increasingly utilizing lay therapists (also commonly referred to as coaches or peers) to provide cognitive behavioral coaching. There is also accumulating evidence indicating that technology can be used to deliver affordable and accessible treatments with outcomes comparable to traditional face-to-face psychotherapy treatments (Karyotaki et al., 2021). In particular, the metaverse (Internet-connected 3-D virtual environments have also that allow end-users to interact as avatars) may be a distinctively powerful medium through which to deliver engaging, affordable, accessible, and scalable mental health interventions. In addition, the use of social virtual reality (VR) mental health interventions is relatively unexplored, yet the sense of presence ("being there") it provides may be useful to increase immersiveness in a digital intervention or facilitate social interaction in a digital space.

Therefore, the investigators plan to conduct a randomized controlled trial on CBI in order to investigate its effectiveness among different groups of people and investigate the role immersive VR, as opposed to a flat screen, may play in predicting outcome measures. Upon joining the study, participants are asked to complete surveys once a week for 8 weeks and brief monthly follow-up surveys for 6 months. If you are randomized to either of the CBI conditions, you will also be asked to attend 8 weekly 1-hour sessions through a virtual application (from a VR headset or flat-screen, depending on your condition). This study seeks to address the main following research questions: (1) Is CBI efficacious? (and for whom is it more or less efficacious?) And (2) Does immersive VR confer any advantage over and above accessing CBI via less immersive flat screen devices?

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 years of age or older
* Proficient in reading and speaking English
* Have a computer with a stable internet connection
* Score at or above the clinical threshold on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; Kroenke et al. 2001)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Sufficiently elevated levels of negative thoughts such that the individual is considered at high risk of harm, according to the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSRS)