Developing a Virtual Reality-Based Vocational Rehabilitation Training Program for Patients with Schizophrenia

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Schizophrenia significantly impairs psychosocial and cognitive functions, hindering employment.
• Traditional vocational rehabilitation is demanding and costly for schizophrenia patients.
• Developing accessible and engaging rehabilitation tools is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a virtual reality-based vocational rehabilitation training program (VR-VRTP) for schizophrenia patients.
• To assess the feasibility of VR-VRTP as an alternative to conventional rehabilitation.
• To investigate the impact of VR-VRTP on psychosocial and cognitive functions relevant to employment.

Main Methods:

• Developed a VR-VRTP simulating convenience store and supermarket clerk roles with feedback mechanisms.
• Nine schizophrenia patients participated in 8 weeks of repeated VR-VRTP sessions.
• Evaluated participants using clinical and neuropsychological tests (e.g., PSP, Manchester Scale, AVLT, RCFT) pre- and post-training.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements observed in Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP) scores.
• Enhanced performance on the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) and delayed recall on the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (RCFT).
• General symptoms on the Manchester Scale improved, with a trend towards improvement in positive symptoms.

Conclusions:

• VR-VRTP demonstrates potential for improving psychosocial function and memory in schizophrenia patients.
• The program may positively influence real-world vocational performance.
• Preliminary evidence suggests VR-VRTP is a viable tool for schizophrenia vocational rehabilitation.