A5036498218- Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Mental Health and Psychiatry
- Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Mental Health Research Topics
- Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Hearing Loss and Rehabilitation
- Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Hallucinations in medical conditions
- Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
- Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Mental Health and Patient Involvement
- Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
- Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
- Neuroscience and Music Perception
- Music Therapy and Health
- Genomics and Rare Diseases
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research
- Humor Studies and Applications
- Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics
- Genetic factors in colorectal cancer
King's College London
2016-2025
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
2017-2024
Mount Sinai Hospital
2021-2023
North East London NHS Foundation Trust
2023
National Health Service
2021-2022
Bethlem Royal Hospital
2020-2021
Centre for Mental Health
2019
Wayne State University
2019
King's College - North Carolina
2012-2014
University College London
2012-2014
A quarter of people with psychotic conditions experience persistent auditory verbal hallucinations, despite treatment. AVATAR therapy (invented by Julian Leff in 2008) is a new approach which who hear voices have dialogue digital representation (avatar) their presumed persecutor, voiced the therapist so that avatar responds becoming less hostile and concedes power over course therapy. We aimed to investigate effect on compared supportive counselling control condition.
Individuals reporting persistent psychotic experiences (PEs) in the general population, but without a “need for care”, are unique group of particular importance identifying risk and protective factors psychosis. We compared people with PEs no care” (non‐clinical, N=92) patients diagnosed disorder (clinical, N=84) controls (N=83), terms their phenomenological, socio‐demographic psychological features. The 259 participants were recruited from one urban rural area UK, as part UNIQUE (Unusual...
Persistent paranoia is common among patients with psychosis. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for psychosis can be effective. However, challenges in engagement and effectiveness remain.To investigate the effects on mechanisms of action SlowMo, a digitally supported reasoning intervention, plus usual care compared only.This parallel-arm, assessor-blinded, randomized clinical trial recruited participants at UK community health services from May 1, 2017, to 14, 2019. Eligible consisted referral...
Background Real-world implementation of psychological interventions for psychosis is poor. Barriers include therapy being insufficiently usable and useful a diverse range people. User-centered, inclusive design approaches could improve the usability therapy, which may increase uptake, adherence, effectiveness. Objective This study aimed to optimize an existing intervention, Thinking Well, targets reasoning processes in paranoia using basic digital interface. Methods We conducted inclusive,...
Recent reviews of family-focused interventions designed to prevent juvenile conduct and substance use problems reveal that these are widely disseminated, but only infrequently evaluated (e.g., Institute Medicine, 1994; U.S. Department Justice, 1992). Moreover, the limited number evaluation studies reported in literature have often revealed methodological (U.S. 1992; Wiese, 1992, Yoshikawa, 1994). Problems evident typically involved deficits study intervention design such as lack experimental...
Cognitive models of psychosis propose that appraisals (ie, the interpretation and meaning attributed to experiences) are central transition from anomalous experiences psychotic symptoms. In Unusual Experiences Enquiry (UNIQUE) study, we investigated role by comparing individuals with persistent without a need for care patients people experiences.Eligible participants were diagnosed disorders (clinical group) adults in general population (non-clinical (controls). The among non-clinical...
Paranoia is one of the most common symptoms schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, and associated with significant distress disruption to person's life. Developing more effective accessible psychological interventions for paranoia a clinical priority. Our research team has approached this challenge in two main ways: firstly, by adopting an interventionist causal approach increase effectiveness secondly, incorporating user-centred inclusive design methods enhance accessibility usability. resultant...
Abstract AVATAR therapy represents an effective new way of working with distressing voices based on face-to-face dialogue between the person and a digital representation (avatar) their persecutory voice. To date, there has been no complete account delivery. This article presents, for first time, full range therapeutic targets along information acceptability potential side effects. Interest in approach is growing rapidly this report acts as necessary touchstone future development.
AVATAR therapy is a novel intervention targeting distressing auditory verbal hallucinations (henceforth 'voices'). A digital simulation (avatar) of the voice created and used in three-way dialogue between participant, avatar therapist. To date, has been delivered over 6 sessions, comprising an initial phase, focusing on standing up to hostile avatar, second phase which concedes focus shifts individualised treatment targets, including beliefs about voices. The first fully powered randomised...
Abstract Background Given the rapid expansion of research into digital health interventions (DHIs) for severe mental illness (SMI; eg, schizophrenia and other psychosis diagnoses), there is an emergent need clear safety measures. Currently, measurement reporting adverse events (AEs) are inconsistent across studies. Therefore, international network, iCharts, was assembled to systematically identify refine a set standard operating procedures (SOPs) AE in DHI studies SMI. Design The iCharts...
ABSTRACT AVATAR therapy (AT) works by facilitating a ‘face‐to‐face’ dialog between the person and digital representation (avatar) of their persecutory voice. Although there is cumulative evidence this way working with voices, enhancing therapeutic focus on improved confidence sense control voices in social situations represents promising to boost generalization gains into contexts. This paper presents descriptive clinical case example AVATAR_VRSocial therapy, new augmented version AT...
<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> Despite the promise of digital therapeutics in providing scalable interventions for psychosis, translating them from clinical trials to routine care is challenging. SloMo an evidence-based, digitally supported cognitive behavioural therapy psychosis comprising online platform and mobile app. The encourages individuals slow down a moment, address fast-thinking habits fuelling paranoia. has received NICE Early Value Assessment recommendation National Health...
Introduction Around 70% of people with psychosis experience auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs), which can cause distress and impair the social functioning individual. AVATAR therapy works by facilitating a ‘face-to-face’ dialogue between person digital representation (avatar) their persecutory voice. Although there is cumulative evidence this way working voices, enhancing therapeutic focus on improved confidence sense control voices in situations represents promising to boost...
Marginalized groups are more likely to experience problems with technology-related access, motivation, and skills. This is known as the "digital divide." Technology-related exclusion a potential barrier equitable implementation of digital health. SlowMo therapy was developed an inclusive, human-centered design optimize accessibility bridge effective, blended psychological for paranoia in psychosis.This study explores divide" mobile app engagement randomized controlled trial.Digital literacy...
Patients with anorexia nervosa tend to experience an inner "eating disorder" voice. They struggle recognise and assert their own identity over the illness's relate it from a powerless subordinate position. AVATAR therapy was developed help patients psychosis gain greater power control distressing voices. The goal of this study test feasibility, acceptability, safety preliminary efficacy adaptation for nervosa.Twelve adult were recruited. Ten completed assessment session between five seven...
Cognitive models of psychosis suggest that anomalous experiences alone do not always lead to clinical psychosis, with appraisals and responses being central understanding the transition "need for care".The response styles Clinical (C; n = 28) Nonclinical (NC; 34) individuals psychotic were compared following experimental analogues thought interference (Cards Task) auditory hallucinations (Virtual Acoustic Space Paradigm).The groups matched in terms their experiences. As predicted, C group...
Psychological interventions which adopt an explicitly interpersonal approach are a recent development in the treatment of distressing voices. AVATAR therapy is one such creates direct dialogue between voice-hearer and computerised representation their persecutory voice (the avatar) through person may be supported to gain sense greater power control. The main objective trial test clinical efficacy this reduce frequency severity auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH). Secondary objectives study...