1- Mohaghegh Ardabili University
Abstract: (46 Views)
Background and Objectives: Schizophrenia, as one of the most complex psychiatric disorders, causes numerous physical and psychological complications for affected individuals, significantly impairing patients' quality of life. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of virtual reality-based intervention on auditory hallucinations and cognitive deficits in individuals with schizophrenia.
Methods: This experimental study employed a pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population included all individuals with schizophrenia attending treatment and rehabilitation centers in Ardabil city in 2023. Thirty participants were selected through purposive non-random sampling based on inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to either experimental or control groups. The experimental group received eight 90-minute sessions of virtual reality therapy. while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Alani-Slade Auditory Hallucinations Test (1981) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The collected data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance in SPSS-24.
Results: The findings revealed that after controlling for pretest effects, there was a significant difference between the posttest mean scores of the experimental and control groups in auditory hallucinations and cognitive deficits in individuals with schizophrenia (p≤0.01).
Conclusion: Virtual reality therapy is effective in improving auditory hallucinations and cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia.
Ethical Considerations:Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their involvement in the study. The confidentiality of participants’ information was assured. Participants were informed of their right to withdraw from the study at any stage.
Adherence to Research Ethics Principles:In this study, informed consent forms were completed by all participants.
Funding:The costs of this study were covered by the authors.
Conflict of Interest:According to the authors’ statement, there is no conflict of interest in this article.
Methods: This experimental study employed a pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population included all individuals with schizophrenia attending treatment and rehabilitation centers in Ardabil city in 2023. Thirty participants were selected through purposive non-random sampling based on inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to either experimental or control groups. The experimental group received eight 90-minute sessions of virtual reality therapy. while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Alani-Slade Auditory Hallucinations Test (1981) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The collected data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance in SPSS-24.
Results: The findings revealed that after controlling for pretest effects, there was a significant difference between the posttest mean scores of the experimental and control groups in auditory hallucinations and cognitive deficits in individuals with schizophrenia (p≤0.01).
Conclusion: Virtual reality therapy is effective in improving auditory hallucinations and cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia.
Ethical Considerations:Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their involvement in the study. The confidentiality of participants’ information was assured. Participants were informed of their right to withdraw from the study at any stage.
Adherence to Research Ethics Principles:In this study, informed consent forms were completed by all participants.
Funding:The costs of this study were covered by the authors.
Conflict of Interest:According to the authors’ statement, there is no conflict of interest in this article.
Type of Study: Research |
Received: 2025/07/15 | Accepted: 2026/01/8
Received: 2025/07/15 | Accepted: 2026/01/8
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