Recruiting

BVI-VR

Sponsor:

Virginia Commonwealth University

Code:

NCT06239285

Conditions

Violence

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Brief Violence Intervention VR (BVI-VR)

Treatment as Usual (TAU)

Study Details

Brief summary:

The overall aim of the proposed project is to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of Brief Violence Intervention-Virtual Reality (BVI-VR) for reducing firearm-related violence, re-injury, and mortality among victims of violence. Outcome measures of firearm-related violence will come from multiple sources, including criminal background checks, hospital data, state-level data, semi-structured clinical assessments, and self-report assessments. In addition, the study aims to understand the impact of BVI-VR on psychosocial mediators resulting in a reduction of firearm-related violence. This will include self-report surveys, neurocognitive assessments, and clinical assessments. The economic efficiency of BVI-VR as a firearm-related violence intervention will also evaluated. To achieve these aims, a randomized control trial (RCT) in a large sample of violently injured adults (18+ years) from VCU Health will be conducted.

Conditions

Violence

Study ID

NCT06239285

Start date

Feb 26, 2024

Status verified date

Jun, 2026

Completion date

Oct, 2026

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Sep, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • violently injured patients from VCU's Level 1 Trauma Center
  • 18 years or older
  • English-speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Under 18 years old
  • Not a victim of Violent crime

Study Design

Enrollment

220 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

placebo comparator: Treatment as Usual (TAU) Group

The treatment-as-usual (TAU) group will receive a community resource brochure (the same one that is provided at the end of BVI-VR). This brochure provides contact detail for services in the local area.

experimental: Intervention Group

Patients randomized into the BVI-VR group will answer questions about the session content and the rationale for the content. Their responses will provide an estimate of engagement providing a better understanding of treatment fidelity.

Interventions

Brief Violence Intervention VR (BVI-VR)

BVI-VR is being developed as a hospital-based brief gun violence intervention program founded on the principles of positive psychology, motivational goal setting (via gameplay), psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy. All steps of the BVI-VR emphasize being in control of making positive choices, and how to locate and leverage opportunities within their communities to improve their well-being. BVI-VR empowers patients to be the driver of their well-being

Treatment as Usual (TAU)

group will receive a community resource brochure (the same one that is provided at the end of BVI-VR). This brochure provides contact detail for services in the local area. These include organizations that provide mental health counseling, mentorship services, career development programs, organized community activities and sports, educational support, financial support, substance abuse programs, and resource assistance (e.g., food, housing, etc.).

Primary outcome measure

  • Firearm-related violence /The gun violence questionnaire [ Time Frame: Baseline self-report, 3- and 6-months post-randomization ]
  • Gun Behaviors and Beliefs Scale [ Time Frame: 3 and 6 month post baseline ]
  • Firearm criminal conviction and arrests/ Criminal Background Checks [ Time Frame: prior to baseline assessment, from baseline to 3-month follow-up, and from 3-month follow-up to the 6-month follow-up. ]
  • Non-convicted firearm-related violent crime/ Violent Crime Assessment [ Time Frame: 3 and 6 month post baseline ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Nicholas Thomson

(804) 297-5740Nicholas.thomson@vcuhealth.org

Locations

Virginia Commonwealth University

Recruiting

Richmond, Virginia, United States, 232398

Contacts

Nicholas Thomson

804-297-5740nicholas.thomson@vcuhealth.org

More Information

Sponsor

Virginia Commonwealth University

Last update posted

Jun 10, 2026

Last verified

Jun, 2026

Keywords

  • Firearm Violence Victim

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Virginia Commonwealth University on 2026-06-10.