Can the metaverse help treat depression? new study tests virtual coaching
NCT ID NCT06418997
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Sep 04, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tested a new cognitive behavioral skills program (CBI) delivered in the metaverse for people with depression and anxiety. 306 participants were split into three groups: one using virtual reality, one using a flat-screen device, and a waitlist group. The program taught skills like mood tracking and reframing negative thoughts over 8 weeks, with a 6-month follow-up.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- cognitive behavioral immersion (CBI) delivered via virtual reality or flat-screen
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new, accessible way to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy for depression and anxiety using virtual or online environments.
- What could go wrong
- This is a completed early-stage trial comparing the intervention to a waitlist control. The results may not show a strong benefit, and the metaverse delivery may not suit everyone.
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
-
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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306 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Feb 2024
- Finished
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Sep 2025
- 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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18 years and older
- 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: * 18 years of age or older * Proficient in reading and speaking English * Have a computer with a stable internet connection * Score at or above the clinical threshold on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; Kroenke et al. 2001) Exclusion Criteria: * Sufficiently elevated levels of negative thoughts such that the individual is considered at high risk of harm, according to the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSRS)
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, 90089, United States
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