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Peer-Reviewed Scientific Articles | Chapters and Monographics


Peer-Reviewed Scientific Articles

  • Rus-Calafell, M., Luker, M., Marzinzik, M., Nguyen, P. M., Schneider, S., Teismann, T., Ehrbar, N., Tas, E., Zhang, X. C., Edwards, C., Huckvale, M., Craig, T. K. J., Garety, P., & Ward, T. (2025). AVATAR Virtual Reality Social therapy (AVATAR_VRSocial) for distressing voices and their interference in social everyday life in early psychosis: protocol of a single-blind parallel group randomised controlled feasibility study. BMJ open, 15(4), e098004. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-098004
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Ehrbar, N., Teismann, T., Schneider, S., Tas, E., Schuster, S., Edwards, C., Huckvale, M., Craig, T., Garety, P., & Ward, T. (2025). Using Virtual Reality Social Environments to Promote Outcomes' Generalization of AVATAR Therapy for Distressing Voices: A Case Study. Journal of clinical psychology, 10.1002/jclp.23785. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23785
     
  • Kiernan, G., Kohl, P., Tas, E., Berg, F., Wolf, M., Nguyen, P. M., Valmaggia, L., & Rus-Calafell, M. (2025). Exploring the association between adolescent psychotic-like experiences and components of social performance using a multi-level virtual reality paradigm. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 10.1007/s00127-025-02871-x. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-025-02871-x
     
  • Fernández, I., Vallina-Fernández, Ó., Alonso-Bada, S., Rus-Calafell, M., & Paino, M. (2025). Emotional regulation as a mediating variable between risk of psychosis and common mental health problems in adolescents. Journal of psychiatric research, 181, 273–281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.11.058
     
  • Garety, P. A., Edwards, C. J., Jafari, H., Emsley, R., Huckvale, M., Rus-Calafell, M., Fornells-Ambrojo, M., Gumley, A., Haddock, G., Bucci, S., McLeod, H. J., McDonnell, J., Clancy, M., Fitzsimmons, M., Ball, H., Montague, A., Xanidis, N., Hardy, A., Craig, T. K. J., & Ward, T. (2024). Digital AVATAR therapy for distressing voices in psychosis: the phase 2/3 AVATAR2 trial. Nature medicine, 30(12), 3658–3668. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-03252-8
     
  • Gayer-Anderson, C., Knowles, G., Beards, S., Turner, A., Stanyon, D., Davis, S., Blakey, R., Lowis, K., Dorn, L., Ofori, A., Rus-Calafell, M., Morgan, C., & Valmaggia, L. (2025). Immersive virtual reality as a novel approach to investigate the association between adverse events and adolescent paranoid ideation. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 60(2), 305–318. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-024-02701-6
     
  • Eisner, E., Richardson, C., Thomas, N., Rus-Calafell, M., Syrett, S., Firth, J., Gumley, A., Hardy, A., Allan, S., Kabir, T., Ward, T., Priyam, A., Bucci, S., & iCharts network (2024). Measurement of Adverse Events in Studies of Digital Health Interventions for Psychosis: Guidance and Recommendations Based on a Literature Search and Framework Analysis of Standard Operating Procedures. Schizophrenia bulletin, 50(6), 1456–1470. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbae048
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Teismann, T., Kullmann, F., Alatas, D., Ballero-Reque, C., Holewa, J., Rüsberg, M., Brüne, M., Paino, M., & Schneider, S. (2024). Internet-based psychoeducation and support programme for relatives of young people with early psychosis: results of the first German-language intervention. Frontiers in psychiatry, 15, 1248526. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1248526
     
  • Kullmann, F., Teismann, T., Krause, K., Friedrich, S., Margraf, J., Schneider, S., & Rus-Calafell, M. (2023). Zugangsbarrieren zur Psychotherapie für Menschen mit Psychosen aus Psychotherapeut_innenperspektive: Eine explorative Studie. Verhaltenstherapie, 33(2–3), 64–74. https://doi.org/10.1159/000530422
  • Edwards, C. J., Owrid, O., Miller, L., Jafari, H., Emsley, R., Rus-Calafell, M., Craig, T. K. J., Clancy, M., McLeod, H., Fornells-Ambrojo, M., McDonnell, J., Montague, A., Huckvale, M., Bucci, S., Haddock, G., Garety, P., & Ward, T. (2023). The voice characterisation checklist: psychometric properties of a brief clinical assessment of voices as social agents. Frontiers in psychiatry, 14, 1192655. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1192655
     
  • Deamer, F., Richardson, W., Ward, T., Garety, P., Craig, T., Edwards, C., & Rus-Calafell, M. (2023). Hypothetical active voicing in AVATAR therapy. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Professional Practice, 18(1), 34–65. https://doi.org/10.1558/jalpp.24121
     
  • Paino, M., González-Menéndez, A. M., Vallina-Fernández, Ó., & Rus-Calafell, M. (2022). A novel algorithm to detect early risk of psychosis: Results from the Prevention Program for Psychosis (P3). Schizophrenia research, 248, 196–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2022.08.012
     
  • Paíno, M., González-Menéndez, A. M., Vallina-Fernández, Ó., & Rus-Calafell, M. (2022). A new Algorithm for Detecting Clinical High Risk of Psychosis in Adolescents. Psicothema, 34(3), 383–391. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2022.10
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Ehrbar, N., Ward, T., Edwards, C., Huckvale, M., Walke, J., Garety, P., & Craig, T. (2022). Participants' experiences of AVATAR therapy for distressing voices: a thematic qualitative evaluation. BMC psychiatry, 22(1), 356. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04010-1
     
  • Greenwood, K. E., Gurnani, M., Ward, T., Vogel, E., Vella, C., McGourty, A., Robertson, S., Sacadura, C., Hardy, A., Rus-Calafell, M., Collett, N., Emsley, R., Freeman, D., Fowler, D., Kuipers, E., Bebbington, P., Dunn, G., Michelson, D., Garety, P., & SlowMo Patient, Public Involvement (PPI) team (2022). The service user experience of SlowMo therapy: A co-produced thematic analysis of service users' subjective experience. Psychology and psychotherapy, 95(3), 680–700. https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12393
     
  • Ward, T., Hardy, A., Holm, R., Collett, N., Rus-Calafell, M., Sacadura, C., McGourty, A., Vella, C., East, A., Rea, M., Harding, H., Emsley, R., Greenwood, K., Freeman, D., Fowler, D., Kuipers, E., Bebbington, P., & Garety, P. (2022). SlowMo therapy, a new digital blended therapy for fear of harm from others: An account of therapy personalisation within a targeted intervention. Psychology and psychotherapy, 95(2), 423–446. https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12377
     
  • Greenwood, K., Robertson, S., Vogel, E., Vella, C., Ward, T., McGourty, A., Sacadura, C., Hardy, A., Rus-Calafell, M., Collett, N., Emsley, R., Freeman, D., Fowler, D., Kuipers, E., Bebbington, P., Dunn, G., Garety, P., & SlowMo Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) team (2022). The impact of Patient and Public Involvement in the SlowMo study: Reflections on peer innovation. Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy, 25(1), 191–202. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13362
     
  • Riches, S., Pisani, S., Bird, L., Rus-Calafell, M., Garety, P., & Valmaggia, L. (2021). Virtual reality-based assessment and treatment of social functioning impairments in psychosis: a systematic review. International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England), 33(3), 337–362. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2021.1918648
     
  • O'Brien, C., Rus-Calafell, M., Craig, T. K., Garety, P., Ward, T., Lister, R., & Fornells-Ambrojo, M. (2021). Relating behaviours and therapeutic actions during AVATAR therapy dialogue: An observational study. The British journal of clinical psychology, 60(4), 443–462. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjc.12296
     
  • Ward, T., Lister, R., Fornells-Ambrojo, M., Rus-Calafell, M., Edwards, C. J., O'Brien, C., Craig, T. K., & Garety, P. (2021). The role of characterisation in everyday voice engagement and AVATAR therapy dialogue. Psychological medicine, 52(16), 1–8. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291721000659
     
  • Garety, P., Ward, T., Emsley, R., Greenwood, K., Freeman, D., Fowler, D., Kuipers, E., Bebbington, P., Rus-Calafell, M., McGourty, A., Sacadura, C., Collett, N., James, K., & Hardy, A. (2021). Effects of SlowMo, a Blended Digital Therapy Targeting Reasoning, on Paranoia Among People With Psychosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA psychiatry, 78(7), 714–725. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.0326
     
  • Garety, P., Edwards, C. J., Ward, T., Emsley, R., Huckvale, M., McCrone, P., Rus-Calafell, M., Fornells-Ambrojo, M., Gumley, A., Haddock, G., Bucci, S., McLeod, H., Hardy, A., Peters, E., Myin-Germeys, I., & Craig, T. (2021). Optimising AVATAR therapy for people who hear distressing voices: study protocol for the AVATAR2 multi-centre randomised controlled trial. Trials, 22(1), 366. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-021-05301-w
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Ward, T., Zhang, X. C., Edwards, C. J., Garety, P., & Craig, T. (2020). The Role of Sense of Voice Presence and Anxiety Reduction in AVATAR Therapy. Journal of clinical medicine, 9(9), 2748. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9092748
     
  • Ward, T., Rus-Calafell, M., Ramadhan, Z., Soumelidou, O., Fornells-Ambrojo, M., Garety, P., & Craig, T. K. J. (2020). AVATAR Therapy for Distressing Voices: A Comprehensive Account of Therapeutic Targets. Schizophrenia bulletin, 46(5), 1038–1044. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbaa061
     
  • Riches, S., Bird, L., Chan, N., Garety, P., Rus-Calafell, M., & Valmaggia, L. (2020). Subjective experience of paranoid ideation in a virtual reality social environment: A mixed methods cross-sectional study. Clinical psychology & psychotherapy, 27(3), 337–345. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2431
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., & Schneider, S. (2020). Are we there yet?!-a literature review of recent digital technology advances for the treatment of early psychosis. mHealth, 6, 3. https://doi.org/10.21037/mhealth.2019.09.14
     
  • Riches, S., Elghany, S., Garety, P., Rus-Calafell, M., & Valmaggia, L. (2019). Factors Affecting Sense of Presence in a Virtual Reality Social Environment: A Qualitative Study. Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking, 22(4), 288–292. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2018.0128
     
  • Riches, S., Garety, P., Rus-Calafell, M., Stahl, D., Evans, C., Sarras, N., Yeboah, K., & Valmaggia, L. (2019). Using Virtual Reality to Assess Associations Between Paranoid Ideation and Components of Social Performance: A Pilot Validation Study. Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking, 22(1), 51–59. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2017.0656
     
  • Craig, T. K., Rus-Calafell, M., Ward, T., Leff, J. P., Huckvale, M., Howarth, E., Emsley, R., & Garety, P. A. (2018). AVATAR therapy for auditory verbal hallucinations in people with psychosis: a single-blind, randomised controlled trial. The lancet. Psychiatry, 5(1), 31–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(17)30427-3
     
  • Hall, J., Rus-Calafell, M., Omari-Asor, L., Ward, T., Emsley, R., Garety, P., & Craig, T. K. J. (2018). Assessing the subjective experience of participating in a clinical trial (AVATAR). Psychiatry research, 263, 82–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2018.02.026
     
  • Garety, P. A., Ward, T., Freeman, D., Fowler, D., Emsley, R., Dunn, G., Kuipers, E., Bebbington, P., Waller, H., Greenwood, K., Rus-Calafell, M., McGourty, A., & Hardy, A. (2017). SlowMo, a digital therapy targeting reasoning in paranoia, versus treatment as usual in the treatment of people who fear harm from others: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials, 18(1), 510. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-017-2242-7
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Garety, P., Sason, E., Craig, T. J. K., & Valmaggia, L. R. (2018). Virtual reality in the assessment and treatment of psychosis: a systematic review of its utility, acceptability and effectiveness. Psychological medicine, 48(3), 362–391. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291717001945
     
  • Caqueo-Urízar, A., Rus-Calafell, M., Craig, T. K., Irarrazaval, M., Urzúa, A., Boyer, L., & Williams, D. R. (2017). Schizophrenia: Impact on Family Dynamics. Current psychiatry reports, 19(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0756-z
     
  • Caqueo-Urízar, A., Urzua, A., & Rus-Calafell, M. (2017). Side effects of antipsychotic medication and quality of life in Latin-American patients with schizophrenia. Terapia Psicologica, 35(1), 111-114. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-48082017000100010
     
  • Valmaggia, L. R., Latif, L., Kempton, M. J., & Rus-Calafell, M. (2016). Virtual reality in the psychological treatment for mental health problems: An systematic review of recent evidence. Psychiatry research, 236, 189–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2016.01.015
     
  • Valmaggia, L. R., Day, F., & Rus-Calafell, M. (2016). Using virtual reality to investigate psychological processes and mechanisms associated with the onset and maintenance of psychosis: a systematic review. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 51(7), 921–936. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1245-0
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Garety, P., Ward, T., Williams, G., Huckvale, M., Leff, J., & Craig, T. K. (2015). Confronting Auditory Hallucinations Using Virtual Reality: The Avatar Therapy. Studies in health technology and informatics, 219, 192–196. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-61499-595-1-192
     
  • Craig, T. K., Rus-Calafell, M., Ward, T., Fornells-Ambrojo, M., McCrone, P., Emsley, R., & Garety, P. (2015). The effects of an Audio Visual Assisted Therapy Aid for Refractory auditory hallucinations (AVATAR therapy): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials, 16, 349. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-015-0888-6
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., & Lemos-Giraldez, S. (2015). Schizophrenia and other Psychotic Dis­orders: main changes in the new DSM-5. Cuadernos de Medicina Psicosomatica y Psiquiatria de Enlace, 111, 89–93.
     
  • Caqueo-Urízar, A., Rus-Calafell, M., Urzúa, A., Escudero, J., & Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J. (2015). The role of family therapy in the management of schizophrenia: challenges and solutions. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 11, 145–151. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S51331
     
  • Pla-Sanjuanelo, J., Ferrer-García, M., Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., Riva, G., Andreu-Gracia, A., Dakanalis, A., Fernandez-Aranda, F., Forcano, L., Ribas-Sabaté, J., Riesco, N., Rus-Calafell, M., Sánchez, I., & Sanchez-Planell, L. (2015). Identifying specific cues and contexts related to bingeing behavior for the development of effective virtual environments. Appetite, 87, 81–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.12.098
     
  • Ferrer-Garcia, M., Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., Pla, J., Riva, G., Andreu-Gracia, A., Dakanalis, A., Fernandez-Aranda, F., Forcano, L., Ribas-Sabaté, J., Riesco, N., Rus-Calafel, M., Sánchez, I., & Sanchez-Planell, L. (2014). Development of a VR Application for Binge Eating Treatment: Identification of Contexts and Cues Related to Bingeing Behavior in Spanish Italian Patients. Studies in health technology and informatics, 199, 71–75. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-61499-401-5-71
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., Ribas-Sabaté, J., & Lemos-Giráldez, S. (2014). Social skills training for people with schizophrenia: What do we train? Behavioral Psychology, 22(3), 461–477.
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., & Ribas-Sabaté, J. (2014). A virtual reality-integrated program for improving social skills in patients with schizophrenia: a pilot study. Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry, 45(1), 81–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2013.09.002
     
  • Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., Rus-Calafell, M., & González-Conde, J. Creation of a new set of dynamic virtual reality faces for the assessment and training of facial emotion recognition ability. Virtual Reality 18, 61–71 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-013-0236-7
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., Ortega-Bravo, M., Ribas-Sabaté, J., & Caqueo-Urízar, A. (2013). A brief cognitive-behavioural social skills training for stabilised outpatients with schizophrenia: a preliminary study. Schizophrenia research, 143(2-3), 327–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2012.11.014
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., Botella, C., & Baños, R. M. (2013). Virtual reality exposure and imaginal exposure in the treatment of fear of flying: a pilot study. Behavior modification, 37(4), 568–590. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445513482969
     
  • Pericot-Valverde, I., García-Rodríguez, O., Rus-Calafell, M., Fernández-Artamendi, S., Ferrer-García, M., & Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J. (2013). Peak provoked craving after smoking cessation. Studies in health technology and informatics, 191, 163–167. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-61499-282-0-163
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., & Frerich, N. (2013). Schizotypy, alexithymia and affect as predictors of facial emotion recognition capability using static and dynamic images. Anuario de Psicología/The UB Journal of Psychology, 43(1), 7–21.
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., & Ribas-Sabaté, J. (2013). Neurocognition, presence and acceptance of a VR programme for psychotic patients: a correlational study. Studies in health technology and informatics, 191, 141–145. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-61499-282-0-141
     
  • Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., Rus-Calafell, M., Márquez-Rejón, S., & Ribas-Sabaté, J. (2012). Associations between facial emotion recognition, cognition and alexithymia in patients with schizophrenia: comparison of photographic and virtual reality presentations. Studies in health technology and informatics, 181, 88–92. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-61499-121-2-88
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., & Ribas-Sabaté, J. (2012). Improving social behaviour in schizophrenia patients using an integrated virtual reality programme: a case study. Studies in health technology and informatics, 181, 283–286. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-61499-121-2-283
     
  • Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., Magallón-Neri, E., Rus-Calafell, M., & Peñaloza-Salazar, C. (2009). Virtual reality exposure therapy for school phobia. Anuario de Psicología/The UB Journal of Psychology, 40(2), 223–236.
     
  • Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., Letosa-Porta, Á., Rus-Calafell, M., & Peñaloza-Salazar, C. (2009). The assessment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children using continuous performance tasks in Virtual Environments. Anuario de Psicologia/The UB Journal of Psychology, 40(2), 211–223.

Chapters and Monographics

  • Rauschenberg, C., Rus-Calafell, M., Reininghaus, U., & Valmaggia, L. Digital Interventions for Psychosis. In Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology. 2022, Reference Module: Elsevier.
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., & Craig, T. AVATAR therapy: a digital therapy to help people with distressing voices. In Parker, I., Schnackenberg, J., Hopfenbeck, M. (Eds). The Practical Handbook of Hearing Voices: therapeutic and creative approaches. 2021, PCCS Books, 237-246.
     
  • Garety, P., Ward, T., & Rus-Calafell, M.  Beyond Belief—New Approaches to the Treatment of Paranoia. In Badcock, J., Paulik-White, G. (Eds.) A Clinical Introduction to Psychosis. 2019, Academic Press, Elsevier.
     
  • Craig, T., Ward, T., & Rus-Calafell, M. AVATAR Therapy for Refractory Auditory Hallucinations. In Pradhan, B., Pinninti, N., Rathod, Sh. (Eds). Brief Interventions for Psychosis. A Clinical Compendium. 2016, Springer Nature, 41-54.
     
  • Rus-Calafell, M., & Gutierrez-Maldonado, J. Virtual Reality and Schizophrenia. In Cipresso, P. & Serino, S. (Eds). Virtual Reality: Technologies, Medical Applications and Challenges (Psychology Research Progress). 2014, Nova Science Publishers, 161-176.