Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T01:13:43.240Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The UK AVATAR 1 and 2 Trials for People with Distressing Voices – Findings and Learning from AVATAR1, and AVATAR2 Developments in Theory and Therapy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

T. Craig ,
P. Garety ,
T. Ward ,
C. Edwards ,
M. Rus-Calafell ,
M. Huckvale  and
R. Emsley
T. Craig*
Affiliation:
Kings College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department Of Health Service And Population, London, United Kingdom
P. Garety
Affiliation:
King’s College London, Psychology, London, United Kingdom
T. Ward
Affiliation:
King’s College London, Psychology, London, United Kingdom
C. Edwards
Affiliation:
King’s College London, Psychology, London, United Kingdom
M. Rus-Calafell
Affiliation:
Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Psychology, Bochum, Germany
M. Huckvale
Affiliation:
University College London, Speech, Hearing And Phonetic Sciences, London, United Kingdom
R. Emsley
Affiliation:
King’s College London, Biostatistics, London, United Kingdom
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Introduction

Many people suffering from psychotic disorders report persistent auditory verbal hallucinations (‘voices’) despite pharmacological and psychological therapy. Interest is growing in approaches that emphasise the personal relationship between the patient and their voice(s). AVATAR therapy is one such approach that uses a digital representation (avatar) of a selected voice to facilitate a three-way discussion between patient, therapist and voice, the therapist speaking either as him/herself or in the digitally transformed voice of the avatar. Objectives: To describe AVATAR therapy and an ongoing multi-centre clinical trial. Methods: Encouraging findings from an earlier controlled trial (AVATAR1) comparing AVATAR therapy and supportive counselling informed our current multi-site cost-effectiveness trial of brief and extended versions of the therapy compared to treatment as usual (AVATAR2). Results: AVATAR1 delivered in 7 weekly sessions resulted in a reduction in the frequency, distress and power of voices that was significantly superior to supportive counselling. Clinical experience suggested that some participants improved in response to the early focus on anxiety while others seemed more responsive to later more formulation-driven approach. These findings led us to the current ongoing three arm clinical trial comprising a brief (6 session) focus on anxiety/assertiveness, an extended (12 session) formulation-driven approach both approaches compared to treatment as usual. Conclusion: Previous AVATAR studies suggest this is a therapy with considerable promise. It can be delivered through widely available laptop computers, usually in clinic but also remotely via existing commercial platforms. The current trial will address questions about dissemination, training and cost-effectiveness in NHS settings.

Disclosure

The digital technology employed in AVATAR therapy is provided by licence for the trial from Avatar Therapy Ltd

Keywords

Auditory Verbal HallucinationsPsychological therapyPsychosisclinical trial
Type
Clinical/Therapeutic
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 65 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 30th European Congress of Psychiatry , June 2022 , pp. S22 - S23
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.