Targeting the Sensory Disturbance in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Targeting the Sensory Disturbance in Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Effectiveness of Cognitive-behavior Therapy-based Virtual Reality Exposure Program

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.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Autistic Disorders Spectrum
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: CBT-based VR exporsure program

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 90
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Taiwan
  • Taipei, Taiwan
    • National Taiwan University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 45 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• young adult aged between 18 and 45 years who had a diagnosis of ASD from a licensed mental health or medical professional based on DSM-5;
• has sensory and social problems as reported by the participant and the caregiver;
• is motivated to participate in the treatment;
• is fluent in Chinese;
• has a full-scale IQ > 70 on WAIS-IV;
• scored ≧ 26 on the caregiver-reported Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), indicating clinical impairment associated with ASD.

Exclusion Criteria:

• A history of major mental illness (e.g., bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, or psychosis) or neurological diseases;
• visual impairment and/or hearing impairment that would preclude participation in the CBT-based VR exposure program

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: VR-Group; 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; 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.
Experimental: CBT-GROUP; 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; 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.
No Intervention: Control group; 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.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
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.	Two months, first time in the first week and second time in the last week.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: National Taiwan University Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 17, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 31, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): December 31, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 2, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 2, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): December 15, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 3, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 2, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: autism spectrum; sensory disturbance; intervention; virtual reality; cognitive behavior therapy
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Sensation Disorders; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive
• Other Study ID Numbers: 201712172RINC

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No