VR therapy eases sensory struggles in autism
NCT ID NCT05157477
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 31, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested an 8-week virtual reality program based on cognitive-behavior therapy to help adults with autism spectrum disorder handle sensory sensitivities. 90 participants practiced relaxation, ranked scary situations, and faced them gradually in VR. The goal was to reduce anxiety and improve daily functioning.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- cognitive-behavior therapy-based virtual reality exposure program
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new way to help adults with autism manage everyday sensory challenges and reduce anxiety.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study with 90 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The intervention is behavioral, not a medical treatment, and long-term benefits are unknown.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 90 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jun 2020
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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20 to 45 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * young adult aged between 18 and 45 years who had a diagnosis of ASD from a licensed mental health or medical professional based on DSM-5; * has sensory and social problems as reported by the participant and the caregiver; * is motivated to participate in the treatment; * is fluent in Chinese; * has a full-scale IQ \> 70 on WAIS-IV; * scored ≧ 26 on the caregiver-reported Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), indicating clinical impairment associated with ASD. Exclusion Criteria: * A history of major mental illness (e.g., bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, or psychosis) or neurological diseases; * visual impairment and/or hearing impairment that would preclude participation in the CBT-based VR exposure program
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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National Taiwan University Hospital
RECRUITINGTaipei, Taiwan
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