A pilot trial of 32 patients with dual cannabis use disorder and severe mental illness found that 8 sessions of VR avatar therapy significantly reduced cannabis quantity (effect size 0.80), with reductions maintained at 12-month follow-up and confirmed by urine testing.
Psychiatrists treating dual diagnosis patients; digital health researchers developing VR-based addiction interventions.
12-month sustained cannabis reduction confirmed by urine testing
What the researchers found
Significant reductions in cannabis quantity were maintained through 12-month follow-up (d=0.804, p<0.001), confirmed by urine quantification. Use frequency showed a small significant reduction at 3 months (d=0.384, p=0.03). Improvements were also seen in CUD severity, cannabis-related negative consequences, motivation to change, harm-mitigation strategies, quality of life, and psychiatric symptoms.
Why it matters
Current psychotherapeutic treatments for CUD in severe mental illness have limited effectiveness. This innovative approach uses VR to create a safe space for patients to practice conversations about their cannabis use, showing promising and durable results in a notoriously difficult-to-treat population.
The numbers in context
32 participants with dual CUD + SMD. 8 VR sessions. Cannabis quantity reduction d=0.804 (p<0.001) at 12 months. Frequency reduction d=0.384 (p=0.03) at 3 months. Improvements in CUD severity, consequences, motivation, strategies, quality of life, and psychiatric symptoms.
How the study worked
Single-arm pilot clinical trial with 32 participants having dual CUD and severe mental disorder. 8 intervention sessions where participants dialogued in VR with an avatar representing a person significant to their cannabis use, animated by a therapist. Assessments before intervention and at post, 3, 6, and 12 months.
What this study cannot tell us
Single-arm design without control group. 32 participants. Cannot separate VR-specific effects from general therapeutic contact. May not be scalable or accessible in all clinical settings. Selection bias from voluntary participation.
How to read the evidence
Pilot trial with 12-month follow-up and objective verification, but single-arm design limits causal conclusions. RCT underway.
When this study was published
2024 study
The bigger picture
If VR avatar therapy can reduce cannabis use in people with severe mental illness where other approaches have failed, it could represent a new treatment paradigm. The approach is being tested in a randomized controlled trial.
Questions still open
- What makes the avatar interaction more effective than traditional therapy for this population? Will the ongoing RCT confirm these results?
Common questions
How does avatar therapy work?
Can this work for people without severe mental illness?
Read the original research
Avatar Intervention in Virtual Reality for Cannabis Use Disorder in Individuals With Severe Mental Disorders: Results From a 1-Year, Single-Arm Clinical Trial.
JMIR mental health, 11, e58499
Citation
Giguere, Sabrina; Beaudoin, Mélissa; Dellazizzo, Laura; Phraxayavong, Kingsada; Potvin, Stéphane; Dumais, Alexandre. (2024). Avatar Intervention in Virtual Reality for Cannabis Use Disorder in Individuals With Severe Mental Disorders: Results From a 1-Year, Single-Arm Clinical Trial.. JMIR mental health, 11, e58499. https://doi.org/10.2196/58499
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