Developing a Virtual Reality-Based Vocational Rehabilitation Training Program for Patients with Schizophrenia.
Maintaining employment is difficult for patients with schizophrenia because of deterioration of psychosocial and cognitive functions. Such patients usually require vocational rehabilitation training, which is both demanding and costly. In this study, we developed a virtual reality-based vocational rehabilitation training program (VR-VRTP) for such patients and evaluated its feasibility as an alternative to traditional rehabilitation programs. We developed the VR-VRTP to include various situations commonly encountered in two types of occupations: convenience store employee and supermarket clerk. We developed practical situations, as well as a system for providing feedback, to ensure patients would not lose interest during training. Nine participants each performed the VR-VRTP repeatedly per week for a total of 8 weeks. At baseline and after training, all participants were evaluated using the following clinical and neuropsychological tests: Manchester Scale, Clinical Global Impression, Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Zung Depression Rating Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Test, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (RCFT), and Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT). After training, patient scores improved on the PSP, general symptoms on the Manchester Scale, AVLT, and delayed recall on the RCFT. The Manchester positive symptom score showed a trend of improvement. No significant changes were observed for other measures. The VR-VRTP may improve general psychosocial function and memory, potentially influencing real-world vocational performance. These findings provide preliminary evidence regarding the utility of the VR-VRTP in patients with schizophrenia.
1 Department of Psychiatry, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center , Seoul, Korea.
Bo Kyung
BK
Sohn
2 Department of Psychiatry, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital , Seoul, Korea.|3 Department of Psychiatry, Hallym University College of Medicine , Chuncheon, Korea.
Jae Yeon
JY
Hwang
1 Department of Psychiatry, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center , Seoul, Korea.|4 Department of Clinical Medical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul, Korea.
Su Mi
SM
Park
1 Department of Psychiatry, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center , Seoul, Korea.|5 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul, Korea.
Jung-Seok
JS
Choi
1 Department of Psychiatry, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center , Seoul, Korea.|5 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul, Korea.
Jun-Young
JY
Lee
6 Dongjak-gu Community Mental Health Center , Seoul, Korea.
Ji Yeuon
JY
Lee
1 Department of Psychiatry, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center , Seoul, Korea.|4 Department of Clinical Medical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul, Korea.|5 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine , Seoul, Korea.|6 Dongjak-gu Community Mental Health Center , Seoul, Korea.
Hee-Yeon
HY
Jung
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014584:User-Computer Interface
rehabilitation; schizophrenia; virtual reality