Science & Research
We work alongside partners from academia and healthcare for our funded research projects, to support Tend to establish an evidence base for our VR-MBI. In real-world NHS settings, Tend VR-MBI achieved a 73% reliable improvement rate (vs. 67% Guided Self-Help at Step 2).
Treatment completion rates were also significantly better – 83% of patients completed Tend VR-MBI compared to just 61% with Guided Self-Help. These are intention-to-treat figures, measured from the very first session, meaning they reflect every patient who started treatment – not just those who finished. For NHS Talking Therapies, where Guided Self-Help accounts for over a fifth of all treatments delivered, outcomes at this level from a scalable, low-workforce intervention represent a step change in what Step 2 care can achieve.
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Below are details of Tend's current and recent research studies.
Pilot Randomised Control Trial: Mindset XR Difficult-to-Treat Depression
Prof. Sara Tai - University of Manchester
Tend's Innovate UK Mindset XR Round 3 project focuses on difficult-to-treat depression: a population with limited response to standard care and significant unmet need. The study will assess the clinical impact, acceptability and feasibility of the VR-MBI in this group, building on the evidence generated through earlier Mindset rounds and through the NIHR and CIRCE programmes.
Research Study: Community Delivered VR-MBI with Mind
Prof. Sara Tai - University of Manchester
Delivered in partnership with the University of Manchester, Health Innovation East and four Mind charities, this Innovate UK Mindset XR Round 2 study evaluated the VR-MBI in real-world community and voluntary sector settings across England and Wales. Across 75 participants, the data showed mean PHQ-9 scores falling from 14.00 to 7.77, a 6.2 point reduction, and mean GAD-7 scores from 11.89 to 4.58, a 7.3 point reduction, supporting feasibility of delivery at scale outside secondary care.
Feasibility Study: SBRI Agricultural Workplaces
Prof. Tine Van Bortel - University of Cambridge
Funded through the NHS Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) and delivered with the University of Cambridge, this project examined the accessibility, acceptability and efficacy of the VR-MBI for mental health in the agricultural workplace – a population with elevated mental health need and limited access to conventional services. The study developed and tested a deployment model appropriate to farming communities.
Feasibility Study - U Institute
Prof. Rebecca Gould - UCL
The CIRCE study, supported by the Creative Impact Research Centre Europe, funded product iteration alongside a 50-participant clinical evaluation of the next-generation VR-MBI, delivered in partnership with University College London. Mean PHQ-9 scores fell from 9.76 to 5.92, a 3.8 point reduction, and mean GAD-7 scores from 10.02 to 4.39, a 5.6 point reduction, confirming clinical impact at larger scale and against the revised intervention.
Feasibility Study - NIHR
Prof. Rebecca Gould - UCL
The NIHR-funded feasibility study was delivered with University College London in a population experiencing depression and anxiety. Mean PHQ-9 scores fell from 13.97 to 6.32, a 7.7 point reduction, and mean GAD-7 scores from 11.71 to 5.50, a 6.2 point reduction. Participants rated their likelihood to recommend Tend at 4.36 out of 5 and positivity of experience at 4.15 out of 5.
Proof of Concept Study
Prof. Rebecca Gould - UCL
Tend's first clinical evaluation was delivered in partnership with University College London and The Retreat, Britain's oldest continuously operating mental health provider. Twelve participants with depression and anxiety completed the eight-week VR-MBI. Mean PHQ-9 scores fell from 10.80 to 5.50, a 5.3 point reduction, and mean GAD-7 scores from 8.83 to 4.67, a 4.2 point reduction. These early signals established feasibility and shaped subsequent development of the intervention.
Tend is an exciting example of how technology can be used thoughtfully to expand access to effective psychological support. I believe it has significant potential to help people...
Dr Sara Tai, Professor of Clinical Psychology at University of Manchester