This study aims to evaluate the safety and acceptability of a basic neuro-technological intervention in the treatment of adolescents with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Our technology will deliver a mindfulness-based anxiety regulation intervention through a neuro- / bio-feedback-based virtual reality (VR) game interface that is driven by a novel algorithm.
This study is a single-arm open-label test of feasibility. The recruitment target is 30. Outpatient adolescents diagnosed with GAD will be recruited to undergo 8 x 30 minutes intervention sessions over 4 weeks. Participants who are enrolled will continue to receive treatment-as-usual prescribed by their treating psychiatrist, except for the use of psychotropics. This population is selected as they could elucidate whether our intervention can be beneficial as an early intervention program for GAD. During the 8 bi-weekly intervention sessions, participants will don a head-mounted VR display set and a mobile EEG-biosensor. The hardwares are non-invasive.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
During the intervention sessions, participants will don a head-mounted VR display set and a mobile EEG-biosensor. Each session will begin with a brief audio-guided mindfulness practice, follow by a 15 minutes VR game. Game performances will be influenced by individual's level of anxiety arousal and ability to regulate it.
Child Guidance Clinic
Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
RECRUITINGUsability Questionnaire
Usability questionnaire measures participants' experience with the neuro-technological intervention devices and software. Subscale with12 items asking about overall comfort and usability are included, with scale range of 1 to 4 (1 - very false for me, 2 - False, 3 - True, 4 - Very true for me). Subsequent 27-items subscale measures participants' experience with the software/virtual reality experience, with scale ranging from 1 to 7 (the lower the rating, the poorer the experience). Total score will be obtained from summing up the scores for each subscale. Higher score means better overall experience with the intervention.
Time frame: Week 4
Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (Parent-reported); 2nd Edition
The MASC is a comprehensive, multi-rater assessment of anxiety dimensions in children and adolescents aged 8 to 19 years old. The MASC includes subscales scores for separation anxiety/phobias, GAD index, social anxiety, obsessions \& compulsions, physical symptoms and harm avoidance. Raw scores from these subscales will be summed up to obtain the total score. Scale ranges from 0 to 3 (0 - Never, 1 - Rarely, 2 - Sometimes, 3 - Often). Higher raw scores indicate higher anxiety symptoms.
Time frame: Week 0, 5
Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (Adolescent-reported); 2nd Edition
The MASC is a comprehensive, multi-rater assessment of anxiety dimensions in children and adolescents aged 8 to 19 years old. The MASC includes subscales scores for separation anxiety/phobias, GAD index, social anxiety, obsessions \& compulsions, physical symptoms and harm avoidance. Raw scores from these subscales will be summed up to obtain the total score. Scale ranges from 0 to 3 (0 - Never, 1 - Rarely, 2 - Sometimes, 3 - Often). Higher raw scores indicate higher anxiety symptoms.
Time frame: Week 0, 5
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