Virtual reality therapy for sensory sensitivity in adults with autism
Tests a virtual reality program using cognitive-behavior therapy for adults with autism spectrum disorder.
Key facts
- Who runs it
- National Taiwan University Hospital
- Where
- Taipei, TaiwanSee the site
- Trial code
- Registry title
- Targeting the Sensory Disturbance in Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 90 people, planned
- Started
- 17 Jun 2020
- Expected to end
- 31 Dec 2027
- Type of study
- Interventional, 3 groupsOne group gets no study treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- CBT-based VR exporsure program
- Record updated
- 31 July 2026
Who can take part
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for young adults with autism spectrum disorder who have sensory and social problems and want to take part in a virtual reality exposure program.
- Age
- 20 to 45 years (the criteria text says 18 to 45 years)
- Sex
- All sexes can join.
- Disease stage
- A diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from a licensed professional, based on DSM-5. Full-scale IQ above 70 on WAIS-IV. Caregiver-reported Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) score of 26 or more.
Main reasons for not taking part
- History of major mental illness (for example bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or psychosis)
- Neurological diseases
- Visual or hearing impairment that would prevent taking part in the program
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 8 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- young adult aged between 18 and 45 years who had a diagnosis of ASD from a licensed mental health or medical professional based on DSM-5
- has sensory and social problems as reported by the participant and the caregiver
- is motivated to participate in the treatment
- is fluent in Chinese
- has a full-scale IQ > 70 on WAIS-IV
- scored ≧ 26 on the caregiver-reported Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), indicating clinical impairment associated with ASD
Who cannot take part
- A history of major mental illness (e.g., bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, or psychosis) or neurological diseases
- visual impairment and/or hearing impairment that would preclude participation in the CBT-based VR exposure program
Check if you might fit
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 20 and 45 years old?
Where in Taiwan
- National Taiwan University HospitalTaipei, TaiwanContact: Yi-Ling Chien, Ph.DTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
This study aims to establish a cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) based virtual exposure (VR) exposure program to train ASD adults coping with everyday sensory scenarios. Through the practice and training, the ASD participants may learn the strategy to deal with the common sensory scenarios and master the anxiety around the exposure. The anticipatory anxiety and the maladaptive behaviors may be decreased along with the process of desensitization, while the functional impairment related to sensory sensitivity can partly be recovered.
The 3 groups in the trial
- VR-GroupTreatment being tested
The participants who are randomized into 'CBT-based VR exposure program' (CBT+VR group) will receive the individual intervention weekly with a total of 8 sessions. The therapists, PI (Chien YL) and a clinical psychologist who is familiar with ASD psychopathology and CBT approach, will provide the CBT-based VR exposure intervention for each individual every week based on the above protocol. The participants complete the homework (i.e., relaxation and real-life exposure) between the sessions, and record 'anxiety level' before, during, and after the real-life exposure. The outcome measures will be scheduled at the end of intervention (8th week) within one week of program closure.
Treatment: CBT-based VR exporsure program
- CBT-GROUPTreatment being tested
The 'CBT alone' intervention applies the same protocol excluding VR exposure, which is replaced by traditional role play with the therapist.
Treatment: CBT-based VR exporsure program
- Control groupNo study treatment, for comparison
The participants who are randomized into control group will be regularly followed in a naturalistic outpatient clinic setting (every 2-4 week). During the clinic, sensory and socioemotional problems will be discussed face-to-face for 10 to 20 minutes, some self-help books will be recommended.
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Targeting the Sensory Disturbance in Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Effectiveness of Cognitive-behavior Therapy-based Virtual Reality Exposure Program
- Plain-language title
- Virtual reality therapy for sensory sensitivity in adults with autismGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
- AI summary
- From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
- Fit questions
- Built from NCT05157477, who can take part
- Record updated
- 31 July 2026