VR Mindfulness for People With HIV and Substance Use

Tulane University

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: HIV; Substance Use (Drugs, Alcohol)

Treatments: Behavioral: TRIPP

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07088289

R21DA061682 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

2025-949

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial is to explore whether a virtual reality (VR) mindfulness app is acceptable, appropriate, and feasible for supporting people with HIV and substance use problems.

Participants will:

• Use a VR headset with a mindfulness app at home;
• Complete three online surveys over three months;
• Take part in an individual interview or focus group to share their experiences.

Enrollment: 30 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Able to speak, read, and write in English
• Aged 18 years or older
• Diagnosed with HIV
• Currently prescribed ART therapy
• Reporting moderate to high risk related to alcohol, opioids, nicotine, cannabis, or stimulant use (score of 4 or higher on the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test - ASSIST). Participants may also use other substances, but the primary risk must fall within these categories, as these have the strongest research support for mindfulness-based interventions.
• Having stable housing that allow using VR safely
• Willing to provide contact information for at least one person whom the study team can reach if the participant becomes unreachable after repeated attempts

Exclusion criteria

• Living in institutionalized settings or unsheltered
• Terminal illness with a life expectancy of less than 6 months
• Planning to move out of the area in the next eight weeks
• Engaging in regular mindfulness practice outside of TRIPP
• Experiencing fear of closed spaces or unable to tolerate wearing a VR headset (verified during orientation session)
• Having visual or auditory impairments or severe physical disabilities that hinder VR use, history of seizures, severe cognitive impairment, severe motion sickness, severe unmanaged psychiatric symptoms, or currently pregnant
• Participants without home internet access will not be excluded and will be provided either funding for internet service or VR headsets preloaded with TRIPP sessions for offline use.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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30 participants in 1 patient group

VR mindfulness

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm will receive a virtual reality (VR) mindfulness intervention named TRIPP. TRIPP is a commercially available VR mindfulness app designed to promote relaxation, focus, and emotional well-being through immersive, guided experiences. The app combines visual and auditory stimulation, breathwork, meditation, and interactive elements to help users reduce stress and improve mood.

Treatment:

Behavioral: TRIPP