The goal of this clinical trial is to demonstrate the commercial potential for a novel virtual reality (VR) intervention in preparation for Phase II development. This clinical trial will test the VR intervention for efficacy in reducing opioid use, increasing abstinence, and other self-reported and behavioral focus on future outcomes in individuals in early recovery from opioid use disorder. * Will the VR group, compared to the control group, have a lower number of opioid use days? * Will the VR group, compared to the control group, have longer periods of abstinence at the 30-day follow-up? * Will the VR group, compared to the control group, have significantly increased opioid abstinence rates? * Will the VR group, compared to baseline and the control group, show increased future self-identification post-VR intervention? * Will the VR group, compared to baseline and the control group, show increased future orientation post-VR intervention? * Will the VR group, compared to baseline and the control group, show an increased preference for delayed rewards in a laboratory delay discounting task post-VR intervention? * Will the VR group, compared to baseline and the control group, exceed in behavioral effects (i.e., future self-identification, future orientation, and increased preference for delayed rewards) at the 30-day follow-up? Researchers will compare the VR test group and the control group to see if there are differences in the results for the questions outlined above.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
104
In the Virtual Reality Avatar Intervention experience, participants will see an avatar resembling themselves in a park setting.
The Virtual Reality Empty Park experience is a habituation experience that does not contain avatars.
Indiana University School of Medicine - Goodman Hall
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Serenity Lane Alcohol & Drug Treatment
Coburg, Oregon, United States
Reduced Number of Drug Using Days
The VR Avatar experience will change drug using days.
Time frame: Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit.
Increased Length of Abstinence
The VR Avatar experience will change the length of abstinence periods.
Time frame: Study Day Visit (Day 1); 30-day Follow-up Visit.
Change in Overall Abstinence
The VR Avatar experience, compared to treatment as usual will change abstinence, measured using urine drug analysis, self report, and a timeline follow-back assessing for substances used from study day to study completion.
Time frame: Study Day Visit (Day 1); 30-day Follow-up Visit.
Future Self-Continuity
The VR Avatar Experience will change future self-continuity. Future self-continuity and change between two time points will also be measured using a proprietary future-self-continuity assessment administered at Study Day Visit (Day 1), and again at the 30-Day Follow-up Visit.
Time frame: Study Day Visit (Day 1); 30-day Follow-up Visit
Future Time Orientation
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will change orientation toward the future, which will be measured using the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI). The ZTPI contains five subscales, two of which will be administered and measured. Items within each subscale are scored from 1, "very uncharacteristic," to 5, "very characteristic." The subscales used are Present-Hedonistic--15 items, higher scores indicative of worse outcomes, and Future--10 items, higher scores indicative of better outcomes.
Time frame: Study Day Visit (Day 1); 30-day Follow-up Visit.
Delayed Reward
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will change preference for delayed rewards, which will be measured using a behavioral delay discounting task.
Time frame: Study Day Visit (Day 1); 30-day Follow-up Visit.
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.