An interventional study of CBT-based VR exporsure program in Autistic Disorders Spectrum, sponsored by National Taiwan University Hospital. Recruiting at 1 site in Taiwan. Open to participants aged 20 Years to 45 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-31.
Sponsored by National Taiwan University Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This study aims to establish a cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) based virtual exposure (VR) exposure program to train ASD adults coping with everyday sensory scenarios. Through the practice and training, the ASD participants may learn the strategy to deal with the common sensory scenarios and master the anxiety around the exposure. The anticipatory anxiety and the maladaptive behaviors may be decreased along with the process of desensitization, while the functional impairment related to sensory sensitivity can partly be recovered.
117 studies on the registry are indexed under Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; 15 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 90 is above the median of 45 across 85 interventional studies indexed under Child Development Disorders, Pervasive.
Browse Child Development Disorders, Pervasive studies →National Taiwan University Hospital is the lead sponsor of 2,615 studies on the registry; 576 are open to participants now.
Of its 11 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 2 (18%) have results posted.
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Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.
DSM diagnostic criteria
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The participants who are randomized into 'CBT-based VR exposure program' (CBT+VR group) will receive the individual intervention weekly with a total of 8 sessions. The therapists, PI (Chien YL) and a clinical psychologist who is familiar with ASD psychopathology and CBT approach, will provide the CBT-based VR exposure intervention for each individual every week based on the above protocol. The participants complete the homework (i.e., relaxation and real-life exposure) between the sessions, and record 'anxiety level' before, during, and after the real-life exposure. The outcome measures will be scheduled at the end of intervention (8th week) within one week of program closure.
Behavioral: CBT-based VR exporsure program
The 'CBT alone' intervention applies the same protocol excluding VR exposure, which is replaced by traditional role play with the therapist.
Behavioral: CBT-based VR exporsure program
The participants who are randomized into control group will be regularly followed in a naturalistic outpatient clinic setting (every 2-4 week). During the clinic, sensory and socioemotional problems will be discussed face-to-face for 10 to 20 minutes, some self-help books will be recommended.
This project seeks to establish a 8-week CBT-based VR exposure program to tackle sensory problems in ASD according to the theory of exposure and desensitization (both social and non-social scenarios) as well as identifying dysfunctional thought and searching for alternative thinking. In brief, this program aims to build up the core competence of the ASD individuals in facing the sensory environment, including (1) Relaxation skills (2) Ranking the fearful sensory situations (3) Anxiety coping strategy (3) Graded exposure (4) Cognitive appraisal and restructuring: identifying the dysfunctional thought when facing the social situations and figuring out alternative thinking.
The change of heart rate
The change of heart rate is related to the activation level of sympathetic nervous system, which can describe the change on anxiety level.
Time frame: Two months, first time in the first week and second time in the last week.
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Jun 2020 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2027, 90 months after the start.
Of 29 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Child Development Disorders, Pervasive, half reached primary completion within 26 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 9 and three quarters within 64. This study's planned 90 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 30 studies reached it within 26 months; a quarter within 9 and three quarters within 68.
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