Professor

Title: AVATAR Therapy for Distressing Voices: Current Status and New Frontiers
Chair: Tom Craig
Speakers:Tom Craig1, Thomas Ward2@, Awoke Mihretu3, Mamta Sood4
1 Dr Tom Craig, Professor, Department of Health Service and Population Research, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
2 Dr Thomas Ward, Clinical Psychologist Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
3 Dr Awoke Mihretu, College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
4 Dr Mamta Sood, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India
Corresponding Author: Dr Thomas Ward, email: thomas.ward@kcl.ac.uk
Abstract:
AVATAR therapy is an exciting innovation in the treatment of distressing voices. The approach involves creating a digital ‘avatar’ to embody the voice. The therapist facilitates real-time dialogues in which the voice-hearer develops an increased sense of power and control. This symposium will present the latest clinical evidence alongside new research frontiers. Professor Tom Craig will provide a historical overview and present the AVATAR2 trial, which has delivered evidence of efficacy for therapy delivered across four geographically and demographically diverse UK settings (Garety et al., 2024). Dr Thomas Ward will then introduce the AVATAR3 study which aims to test the acceptability and feasibility of AVATAR therapy adapted for delivery delivered across two diverse Low- and Middle-Income countries (LMIC) namely India and Ethiopia. In UK-based work the AVATAR3 study will test automation of avatar dialogues using Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered conversational agents (“AVATAR-AI”). Professor Mamta Sood and Dr Awoke Mihretu will present background context and ongoing adaptation work at the Indian and Ethiopian sites respectively. They will describe how through diverse stakeholder engagement, we aim to delivery ethically responsible and culturally acceptable adaptation of AVATAR therapy across in Ethiopia and India.
The symposium will detail adaptation methods and underpinning values designed to facilitate Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). The aim of the AVATAR3 project is to build capacity for future sustainable scalability of AVATAR therapy across Ethiopia and India, providing a template for global roll-out. The development of AVATAR-AI could become a major tool in the wider implementation of this innovative approach.
Speakers
Tom Craig: Historical Overview and AVATAR2 trial findings
Thomas ward: Overview of AVATAR3 aims and methods
Awoke Mihretu: Cultural adaptation of AVATAR therapy in Ethiopian context
Mamta Sood: Cultural adaptation of AVATAR therapy in Indian context

Mamta Sood