Training Reward Responsiveness Through Virtual Reality

Recruiting now · Phase 2

Conditions studied: Positive Affect, Depression

In brief

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of Virtual Reality-Reward Training (VR-RT) with an active control condition, Virtual Reality-Memory Training (VR-MT), on positive affect and other clinical symptoms. VR-Reward Training is a novel intervention aimed at enhancing savoring of positive experiences among individuals with depression and low positive affect through guided imaginal recounting following immersion in positive VR experiences. The current study tests an enhanced version of this training using improved virtual reality technology. Target enrollment is 80 participants with low positive affect, depression, and impaired functioning, who are at least 18 years old, who will be randomly assigned to 7 weeks of either Virtual Reality-Reward Training (VR-RT) or Virtual Reality-Memory Training (VR-MT). Participants will complete in-person VR sessions, laboratory assessments, self-report questionnaires as part of the study. A subset of 8 participants randomly assigned to VR-RT will complete fMRI scans and EMA surveys. The total length of participation is around 3 months.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07219875

Run by

University of California, Los Angeles

People needed

80

Starts

2025-07-08

Expected to finish

2027-06-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-05-07

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• At least 18 years old
• Fluent in written and spoken English
• Meet all of the following dimensional score cutoffs:
• Score on the DASS-21 depression subscale must be ≥ 8
• Score on the PANAS-P of 27 or lower
• Score on the WSAS of ≥ 11

You may not qualify if…

• Lifetime history of bipolar disorder, psychosis, mental retardation, or organic brain damage
• Substance use disorder in the past 6 months
• Current use of psychotropic medications
• Currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant
• Self-reported frequent motion sickness
• Self-reported seizures within the last year and/or a diagnosis of epilepsy

Where it is running

• University of California, Los Angeles — Los Angeles, California, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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