NCT07434479Recruiting
A Virtual Reality Mindfulness Application for Aggression in Schizophrenia
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 10 Jun 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
The study investigates whether a virtual reality-based mindfulness based intervention can reduce impulsive aggression in individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. The primary goal is to evaluate whether mindfulness delivered via VR (MBI-VR) improves emotion regulation and engages the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), a brain region involved in cognitive control and regulation of emotional responses. The study also examines whether these effects show a dose-related relationship. Participants will be randomized to receive different doses of MBI-VR intervention or distraction tasks and will complete repeated mindfulness VR sessions. Brain activity will be measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during an emotion regulation task, along with clinical assessments of impulsive aggression related symptoms.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 58 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 22 Jan 2026
- Start date
- 5 Jun 2026
- Primary completion date
- 30 Jun 2027
- Lead sponsor
- Manhattan Psychiatric Center
- Diseases
- Schizophrenia
- NCT number
- NCT07434479
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 58
- From 5 Jun 2026 to the primary completion date, 30 Jun 2027
- 2 sites in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- Are on Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) within 6 months of the study, participants with metal in their bodies or who have claustrophobia or who do not pass the criteria in NKI's Magnetic Resonance Safety Questionnaire (MRSQ)
- Have a violent episode requiring seclusion, restraints, or a prn within the week before screening
- Evidence of suboptimal medication adherence in the 2 weeks prior to enrollment, as determined by electronic medication records review, and demonstrated by prescriber reported non- adherence to prescribed schedule. Suboptimal adherence includes missed doses (two of more missed doses within the past 2 weeks) or plasma levels indicating that the participant is not receiving the intended therapeutic dose.
Other illness
- Diagnosed with a neurological disorder
- Have unstable medical illness that compromises the safety of the patient
Other
- Participants will be excluded if they:
- Have past head trauma
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding women as evidenced by the participant's medical record.
- Have significant suicidal ideation at screening (as assessed by the Columbia - Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS; participant answers "Yes" to "suicidal ideation" Item 4 (active suicidal ideation with some intent to act, without a specific plan) or Item 5 (active suicidal ideation with a specific plan and intent) on the C-SSRS; Non-suicidal self-injurious behavior is not exclusionary)
- Score \< 4 on all items on Impulsive Aggression Factor (IA) on the IPAS (Stanford et al., 2003)
Who the study is looking for
- TRIPP MBI VR and TAU Distraction Groups have the same inclusion criteria. Participants will:
- Is willing and able to provide written informed consent to participate in the study, attend study visits, and comply with study-related requirements and assessments.
- Fluent in written and spoken English, confirmed by ability to read and understand the informed consent form.
- Be on optimized and stable atypical antipsychotic treatment as indicated by no antipsychotic changes in 2 weeks prior to enrollment.
- Demonstrate documented evidence of good medication adherence for the 2 weeks prior to enrollment, as determined by electronic medication records review and prescriber reported adherence to prescribed schedule as documented in the participant's medical records.
- Have a history of impulsive aggression as assessed by a score of ≥ 4 on any item on Impulsive Aggression Factor (IA) on the Impulsive- Premeditated Aggression Scale (IPAS; Stanford et al., 2003).
- Have adequate visual and auditory abilities to complete assessments, see and hear stimuli in the VR
- Has a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia using the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, as defined in the SCID-5-RV at the Screening Visit.
- Adult or late adolescent, between 18 and 64 years of age at the time of informed consent.
Age in the registry: 18 years to 64 years · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (2)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan Psychiatric Center Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | New York | United States | Recruiting |
| NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center Westchester Division Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | White Plains | United States | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.