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Training Reward Responsiveness Through Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality Training Study

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

1. At least 18 years old
2. Fluent in written and spoken English
3. Meet all of the following dimensional score cutoffs:

   1. Score on the DASS-21 depression subscale must be ≥ 8
   2. Score on the PANAS-P of 27 or lower
   3. Score on the WSAS of ≥ 11

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Lifetime history of bipolar disorder, psychosis, mental retardation, or organic brain damage
2. Substance use disorder in the past 6 months
3. Current use of psychotropic medications
4. Currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant
5. Self-reported frequent motion sickness
6. Self-reported seizures within the last year and/or a diagnosis of epilepsy

About the study

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of Virtual Reality-Reward Training (VR-RT) with an active control condition, Virtual Reality-Memory Training (VR-MT), on positive affect and other clinical symptoms.

VR-Reward Training is a novel intervention aimed at enhancing savoring of positive experiences among individuals with depression and low positive affect through guided imaginal recounting following immersion in positive VR experiences. The current study tests an enhanced version of this training using improved virtual reality technology.

Target enrollment is 80 participants with low positive affect, depression, and impaired functioning, who are at least 18 years old, who will be randomly assigned to 7 weeks of either Virtual Reality-Reward Training (VR-RT) or Virtual Reality-Memory Training (VR-MT). Participants will complete in-person VR sessions, laboratory assessments, self-report questionnaires as part of the study. A subset of 8 participants randomly assigned to VR-RT will complete fMRI scans and EMA surveys.

The total length of participation is around 3 months.

What is being tested

• Virtual Reality-Reward Training (VR-RT) (behavioral)
• Virtual Reality-Memory Training (VR-MT) (behavioral)

Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles · Participants: 80 · Started: Jul 8, 2025

Contact the study team

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07219875

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Depression

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 29, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.