Depressive SymptomsNCT05285501
Virtual Therapeutic Garden for Depressive Symptoms
A study testing Group general fitness training, Group relaxation and psychoeduaction and VRTierOne in people with Depressive Symptoms and Depression, run by Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences at 2 sites in Poland.
Trial summary
This study evaluates the addition of virtual therapy intervention in the treatment of depression in the elderly. Half of the participants will receive virtual reality treatment as an addition to physical exercises and psychoeducation, while the other half will receive physical exercises and psychoeducation alone. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 to 85 years, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Depressive Symptoms, Depression, Anxiety
- What is being tested?
- Group general fitness training, Group relaxation and psychoeduaction and VRTierOne
- Type of treatment
- Medical device, Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesPoland
- Study dates
- 15 Mar 2022to 31 Jul 2022
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 60 to 85 years
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- GDS≥10 or HADS-A≥8 or HADS-D≥8
Who cannot join
- cognitive impairment (MMSE<24);
- aphasia and a serious loss of sight or hearing that makes it impossible to assess cognitive functions based on MMSE;
- contraindications for virtual therapy (epilepsy, vertigo, eyesight impairment);
- substance abuse;
- participation in another therapeutic project or individual psychotherapy;
- antidepressant treatment;
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
Poland2 sites
Foundation for Senior Citizen Activation SIWY DYM
Wroclaw, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, 50-240
University School of Physical Education
Wroclaw, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, 51-612
About this study
Official title: Immersive Virtual Therapeutic Garden as a Support for Late-Life Depressive Symptoms: a Randomized Clinical Trial
This study evaluates the addition of virtual therapy intervention in the treatment of depression in the elderly. Half of the participants will receive virtual reality treatment as an addition to physical exercises and psychoeducation, while the other half will receive physical exercises and psychoeducation alone.
Read the detailed description
Depressive disorders are frequent and can either first be manifested at a younger age and recurrent during later life or have an onset beyond 60 years (late-life depression). The multifactorial genesis of depression in old age includes psychosocial, vascular and metabolic factors and requires multimodal and multi-professional therapy including physical activity and psychosocial interventions. However, there is still a percentage of older people who do not show improvement in depressive symptoms.
In recent years, various types of virtual reality are gaining in popularity, primarily because of the availability and ease of use. A systematic review from 2018 concluded that VR treatment had moderate to large effects in anxiety and depression, compared to controls and it could be another effective choice available to clinicians and patients.
Therefore, the aim of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual therapy in the elderly, in whom the previous multimodal therapeutic program has not brought the expected results.
- Conditions
- Depressive Symptoms, Depression, Anxiety
- Being tested
- Group general fitness training, Group relaxation and psychoeduaction, VRTierOne
- Keywords
- virtual reality, depression, anxiety, mental health, elderly, rehabilitation, virtual garden
- Medical subject headings
- Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Psychological Well-Being
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Group general fitness trainingBehavioural
A single session of general fitness training will be composed of low-intensity, general-fitness exercises. Most of the exercises will be carried out in a sitting position and standing positon. The session will contain aerobic (general warm-up), musculo-articular (strengthening muscles and joints range of motion) and stabilizing exercises (improve spatio-visual coordination). Conducted by a physiotherapist in group form.
Group relaxation and psychoeduactionBehavioural
A single session of relaxation (10 minutes) psychoeducation (10 minutes) will contain minilectures about mental well-being and psychohygiene. In summary 20 minutes.
VRTierOneDevice
As a virtual reality source, VRTierOne device (Stolgraf®) were used. Thanks to using head mounted display and the phenomenon of total immersion "VRTierOne" Stolgraf® provides an intense visual, auditory and kinesthetic stimulation. It can have a calming and mood-improving effect or help the patients recognize their psychological resources and motivate to the rehabilitation process. In the virtual therapeutic garden there are a rich set of symbols and metaphors based on Ericksonian Psychotherapy approach. The most important is the Garden of Revival which symbolizes the patient's health. It used to be full of life and energy, now it is neglected, requires work to be revived. In the therapeutic process day by day, the lector (therapist) tells the patient a symbolic story about his/her situation. By performing tasks in the virtual garden, the patient influences the course of this story, becomes an active participant of the therapeutic process and sees the effects his work.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Therapeutic Garden | Experimental | Twice a week, for a 4 consecutive weeks:
8 sessions of general fitness training (40 minutes each) 8 sessions of VRTierOne therapy (20 minutes each) Receives: Behavioral: Group general fitness training; Device: VRTierOne |
| Control | Active comparator | Twice a week, for a 4 consecutive weeks:
8 sessions of general fitness training (40 minutes each) 8 sessions of group relaxation and psychoeducation (20 minutes each) Receives: Behavioral: Group general fitness training; Behavioral: Group relaxation and psychoeduaction |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)(Change from baseline)
The Geriatric Depression Scale is a self-report 30-items measure of well-being and mood in older adults. The patient responds in a "Yes/No" format. Scoring ranges from 0 to 30, where 11 and more means mood disorders. The higher score means the greater depression.
Measured: 15 minutes
Secondary outcomes (1)
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)(Change from baseline)
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a fourteen-item scale scoring from 0 to 3 for each item. The first seven items relate to anxiety (HADS-A), and the remaining seven items relate to depression (HADS-D). The global scoring ranges from 0 to 42 with a cut-off point of 8/21 for anxiety and 8/21 for depression. The higher the score, the greater anxiety or depression symptoms.
Measured: 30 minutes
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Mar 2022
- Study start15 Mar 2022
- Primary completion30 Jun 2022
- Study completion31 Jul 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (7)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Depressive SymptomsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Foundation for Senior Citizen Activation SIWY DYM
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Błażej Cieślik, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences
- Investigators
- Joanna Szczepańska-Gieracha, Professor, Study director, University School of Physical Education, Wroclaw, PolandBłażej Ł Cieślik, PhD, Principal investigator, Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, Poland
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05285501
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 59/0203/S/05
- Status last verified
- Sep 2022
- First submitted
- 8 Mar 2022
- Last updated
- 30 Sep 2022
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Cieslik B, Mazurek J, Rutkowski S, Kiper P, Turolla A, Szczepanska-Gieracha J. Virtual reality in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review of reviews. Complement Ther Med. 2020 Aug;52:102480. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102480. Epub 2020 Jun 9.
PubMed 32951730Jozwik S, Cieslik B, Gajda R, Szczepanska-Gieracha J. The Use of Virtual Therapy in Cardiac Rehabilitation of Female Patients with Heart Disease. Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Jul 28;57(8):768. doi: 10.3390/medicina57080768.
PubMed 34440974Szczepanska-Gieracha J, Jozwik S, Cieslik B, Mazurek J, Gajda R. Immersive Virtual Reality Therapy as a Support for Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Pilot Randomized-Controlled Trial. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2021 Aug;24(8):543-549. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2020.0297. Epub 2021 Feb 11.
PubMed 33577375Szczepanska-Gieracha J, Cieslik B, Serweta A, Klajs K. Virtual Therapeutic Garden: A Promising Method Supporting the Treatment of Depressive Symptoms in Late-Life: A Randomized Pilot Study. J Clin Med. 2021 May 1;10(9):1942. doi: 10.3390/jcm10091942.
PubMed 34062721Jozwik S, Cieslik B, Gajda R, Szczepanska-Gieracha J. Evaluation of the Impact of Virtual Reality-Enhanced Cardiac Rehabilitation on Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: A Randomised Controlled Trial. J Clin Med. 2021 May 16;10(10):2148. doi: 10.3390/jcm10102148.
PubMed 34065625Rutkowski S, Rutkowska A, Kiper P, Jastrzebski D, Racheniuk H, Turolla A, Szczegielniak J, Casaburi R. Virtual Reality Rehabilitation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2020 Jan 13;15:117-124. doi: 10.2147/COPD.S223592. eCollection 2020.
PubMed 32021150Cieslik B, Juszko K, Kiper P, Szczepanska-Gieracha J. Immersive virtual reality as support for the mental health of elderly women: a randomized controlled trial. Virtual Real. 2023 May 7:1-9. doi: 10.1007/s10055-023-00797-w. Online ahead of print.
PubMed 37360811
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 30 Sep 2022. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Immersive Virtual Therapeutic Garden as a Support for Late-Life Depressive Symptoms: a Randomized Clinical Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05285501
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 59/0203/S/05
- Conditions
- Depressive Symptoms, Depression, Anxiety
- Keywords
- virtual reality, depression, anxiety, mental health, elderly, rehabilitation, virtual garden
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Wroclaw University of Health and Sport SciencesUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Foundation for Senior Citizen Activation SIWY DYM
- Study start
- 15 Mar 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Jul 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 17 Mar 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study evaluates the addition of virtual therapy intervention in the treatment of depression in the elderly. Half of the participants will receive virtual reality treatment as an addition to physical exercises and psychoeducation, while the other half will receive physical exercises and psychoeducation alone.
Detailed description
Depressive disorders are frequent and can either first be manifested at a younger age and recurrent during later life or have an onset beyond 60 years (late-life depression). The multifactorial genesis of depression in old age includes psychosocial, vascular and metabolic factors and requires multimodal and multi-professional therapy including physical activity and psychosocial interventions. However, there is still a percentage of older people who do not show improvement in depressive symptoms.
In recent years, various types of virtual reality are gaining in popularity, primarily because of the availability and ease of use. A systematic review from 2018 concluded that VR treatment had moderate to large effects in anxiety and depression, compared to controls and it could be another effective choice available to clinicians and patients.
Therefore, the aim of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual therapy in the elderly, in whom the previous multimodal therapeutic program has not brought the expected results.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Therapeutic Garden | Experimental | Behavioral: Group general fitness training, Device: VRTierOneTwice a week, for a 4 consecutive weeks: 8 sessions of general fitness training (40 minutes each) 8 sessions of VRTierOne therapy (20 minutes each) |
| Control | Active comparator | Behavioral: Group general fitness training, Behavioral: Group relaxation and psychoeduactionTwice a week, for a 4 consecutive weeks: 8 sessions of general fitness training (40 minutes each) 8 sessions of group relaxation and psychoeducation (20 minutes each) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 60 to 85 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- GDS≥10 or HADS-A≥8 or HADS-D≥8
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- cognitive impairment (MMSE<24);
- aphasia and a serious loss of sight or hearing that makes it impossible to assess cognitive functions based on MMSE;
- contraindications for virtual therapy (epilepsy, vertigo, eyesight impairment);
- substance abuse;
- participation in another therapeutic project or individual psychotherapy;
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Group general fitness trainingA single session of general fitness training will be composed of low-intensity, general-fitness exercises. Most of the exercises will be carried out in a sitting position and standing positon. The session will contain aerobic (general warm-up), musculo-articular (strengthening muscles and joints range of motion) and stabilizing exercises (improve spatio-visual coordination). Conducted by a physiotherapist in group form. | Behavioural | Control, Virtual Therapeutic Garden |
| Group relaxation and psychoeduactionA single session of relaxation (10 minutes) psychoeducation (10 minutes) will contain minilectures about mental well-being and psychohygiene. In summary 20 minutes. | Behavioural | Control |
| VRTierOneAs a virtual reality source, VRTierOne device (Stolgraf®) were used. Thanks to using head mounted display and the phenomenon of total immersion "VRTierOne" Stolgraf® provides an intense visual, auditory and kinesthetic stimulation. It can have a calming and mood-improving effect or help the patients recognize their psychological resources and motivate to the rehabilitation process. In the virtual therapeutic garden there are a rich set of symbols and metaphors based on Ericksonian Psychotherapy approach. The most important is the Garden of Revival which symbolizes the patient's health. It used to be full of life and energy, now it is neglected, requires work to be revived. In the therapeutic process day by day, the lector (therapist) tells the patient a symbolic story about his/her situation. By performing tasks in the virtual garden, the patient influences the course of this story, becomes an active participant of the therapeutic process and sees the effects his work. | Device | Virtual Therapeutic Garden |
Primary outcome
The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)(Change from baseline)
Time frame: 15 minutes
The Geriatric Depression Scale is a self-report 30-items measure of well-being and mood in older adults. The patient responds in a "Yes/No" format. Scoring ranges from 0 to 30, where 11 and more means mood disorders. The higher score means the greater depression.
1 secondary outcome
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)(Change from baseline)
Time frame: 30 minutes
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 30 Sep 2022.
- Background: PubMed 32951730Cieslik B, Mazurek J, Rutkowski S, Kiper P, Turolla A, Szczepanska-Gieracha J. Virtual reality in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review of reviews. Complement Ther Med. 2020 Aug;52:102480. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102480. Epub 2020 Jun 9.
- Background: PubMed 34440974Jozwik S, Cieslik B, Gajda R, Szczepanska-Gieracha J. The Use of Virtual Therapy in Cardiac Rehabilitation of Female Patients with Heart Disease. Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Jul 28;57(8):768. doi: 10.3390/medicina57080768.
- Background: PubMed 33577375Szczepanska-Gieracha J, Jozwik S, Cieslik B, Mazurek J, Gajda R. Immersive Virtual Reality Therapy as a Support for Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Pilot Randomized-Controlled Trial. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2021 Aug;24(8):543-549. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2020.0297. Epub 2021 Feb 11.
- Background: PubMed 34062721Szczepanska-Gieracha J, Cieslik B, Serweta A, Klajs K. Virtual Therapeutic Garden: A Promising Method Supporting the Treatment of Depressive Symptoms in Late-Life: A Randomized Pilot Study. J Clin Med. 2021 May 1;10(9):1942. doi: 10.3390/jcm10091942.
- Background: PubMed 34065625Jozwik S, Cieslik B, Gajda R, Szczepanska-Gieracha J. Evaluation of the Impact of Virtual Reality-Enhanced Cardiac Rehabilitation on Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: A Randomised Controlled Trial. J Clin Med. 2021 May 16;10(10):2148. doi: 10.3390/jcm10102148.
- Background: PubMed 32021150Rutkowski S, Rutkowska A, Kiper P, Jastrzebski D, Racheniuk H, Turolla A, Szczegielniak J, Casaburi R. Virtual Reality Rehabilitation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2020 Jan 13;15:117-124. doi: 10.2147/COPD.S223592. eCollection 2020.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 37360811Cieslik B, Juszko K, Kiper P, Szczepanska-Gieracha J. Immersive virtual reality as support for the mental health of elderly women: a randomized controlled trial. Virtual Real. 2023 May 7:1-9. doi: 10.1007/s10055-023-00797-w. Online ahead of print.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Joanna Szczepańska-Gieracha, Professor study director
University School of Physical Education, Wroclaw, Poland
Błażej Ł Cieślik, PhD principal investigator
Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, Poland
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Group general fitness training, Group relaxation and psychoeduaction and VRTierOne in people with Depressive Symptoms and Depression, run by Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences at 2 sites in Poland.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 30 Sep 2022. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in Poland. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)(Change from baseline) (time frame: 15 minutes). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05285501, which also lists 7 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 30 Sep 2022.