Sociodemographic and Clinical Moderators of Aggression Treatment Outcomes: Insights from a Virtual Reality Aggression Prevention Training

Violent behavior is difficult to treat in forensic settings, and it remains unclear which individuals benefit most from aggression treatment. This study examined individual change and moderators of virtual reality aggression prevention training (VRAPT) in 94 forensic inpatients randomized to VRAPT (n = 43) or treatment as usual (n = 51). Individual change was assessed using the Reliable Change Index. Moderation analyses examined sociodemographic, clinical, and forensic characteristics, including age, diagnosis, violent index offense, childhood trauma, anger, provocation, impulsivity, aggression, and hostility. Although most participants improved in self-reported aggression, no significant moderators emerged, highlighting the complexity and heterogeneity of treatment outcomes.