Virtual Reality CBT for Spinal Surgery Recovery
(VR-CBT Trial)
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a virtual reality-based cognitive behavioral therapy (VR-CBT) prehabilitation program can improve recovery and quality of life for adults undergoing elective spine surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does participating in an 8-week VR-CBT prehabilitation program before surgery improve physical function and pain-related outcomes at 12 months after surgery?
Does VR-CBT prehabilitation reduce postoperative anxiety, depression, and pain interference compared with usual preoperative care?
Researchers will compare participants who receive the VR-CBT prehabilitation program plus usual care to participants who receive usual preoperative care alone to see if the VR-CBT program leads to better recovery and patient-reported outcomes.
Participants will:
Use a VR headset at home to complete structured CBT-based prehabilitation sessions over 8 weeks before surgery.
Attend routine clinic visits and complete questionnaires about pain, function, mood, and quality of life before surgery and through 12 months after surgery.
Allow the research team to review their medical records for information about surgery, complications, and postoperative recovery.
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for adults planning to have elective spine surgery due to degenerative spine disease or lumbar spinal stenosis. Participants must be able to use a VR headset at home and complete an 8-week program before their surgery.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Prehabilitation
Participants undergo an 8-week VR-CBT prehabilitation program at home using a VR headset to prepare for spine surgery.
Surgery and Immediate Postoperative Care
Participants undergo elective spine surgery and receive immediate postoperative care.
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for recovery, pain, and quality of life through questionnaires and clinical visits up to 12 months after surgery.
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Virtual Reality-Based CBT Prehabilitation (VR-CBT)
Trial Overview
The study compares two groups: one receives virtual reality-based cognitive behavioral therapy (VR-CBT) prehabilitation plus usual care, while the other gets only usual preoperative care. The goal is to see if VR-CBT improves recovery after spine surgery.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Participants receive a spine-focused CBT prehabilitation program delivered using a virtual reality platform (VR-CBT) in addition to usual perioperative clinical care. The 8-week preoperative program includes home-based VR sessions targeting psychoeducation about surgery and recovery, cognitive restructuring, relaxation and mindfulness, and graded exposure to movement and pain-related cues in immersive VR environments
Participants receive the same spine-focused CBT prehabilitation content delivered without VR (standard CBT sessions/materials) in addition to usual perioperative clinical care. The 8-week preoperative program uses non-VR delivery methods (e.g., in-person or video-based sessions and written/online materials) covering psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, relaxation and mindfulness, and graded exposure to movement and pain-related cues without VR technology.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of California, Irvine
Lead Sponsor
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