The Therapeutic Mechanism of Compassion-Based Family Intervention

NCT ID: NCT07138417

Last Updated: 2025-09-19

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 120 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-08-30
• Study Completion Date: 2027-07-31

Brief Summary

1. To investigate the correlations between self-compassion-related variables in parents of adolescents with emotional disorders and parenting stress as well as self-stigmatization; and the correlations between self-compassion-related variables and the severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms in adolescents.

2. To evaluate the effectiveness of a Compassion-Focused Family Intervention in increasing self-compassion among adolescents and their parents, and in reducing parenting stress, self-stigmatization, and the severity of adolescent depression and anxiety.

3. To explore the neural and physiological mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of the compassion intervention on parent-child interactions, using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning and wearable wristband devices.

Detailed Description

This study plans to recruit 120 families (each consisting of a 12-18-year-old adolescent with emotional disorders and their parents), and randomly divide them into an intervention group and a control group, with 60 pairs in each group. The intervention group received a 6-week compassion-based family intervention, once a week for 120 minutes each time, accompanied by family exercises including meditation training and emotional journal. The waiting list control group waited for 6 weeks after the baseline measurement for the post-test, and then conducted the same intervention.

The study adopted multi-dimensional assessment: at five time points including baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 3, 6 month follow-up, the psychological state of parents and children was measured through psychological scales (such as the Children's Depression Inventory Scale and the Child-Parent Relationship Scale). At the same time, near-infrared hyperscanning technology was used to record the synchronization of brain signals when parents and children watched emotional videos (2 positive/neutral/negative segments each) (analyzing neural synchronization in the 0.02-0.10Hz frequency band), and a wearable bracelet was used to monitor physiological indicators such as heart rate variability. Data analysis will examine the effect of intervention on enhancing parents' self-compassion level, reducing parenting pressure and symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescents, and explore the association mechanism between parent-child neural synchrony changes and intervention effects. Ultimately, it will verify the effectiveness of compassion therapy in improving the mental health of families of adolescents with emotional disorders.

Conditions

Emotional Disorder

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Compassion-based family intervention group

A six-week compassion-based family intervention will be conducted , consisting of one session per week. Each 120-minute session included the following components: Introduction (10 min); Cognitive Intervention (50 min); Group Activities & Parent-Child Interaction (50 min); Summary (10 min).

Additionally, during the six-week intervention period, families will complete supplementary exercises, including three relaxation meditation sessions per week and three emotional journal per week.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Compassion-Based Family Therapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

Draw ideas from traditional Chinese culture, the investigators have developed the compassion-based family intervention therapy to improve the mental health of both parents and children by enhancing their synchronization.

The 6-week program followed a progressive thematic structure. Week 1 focuses on introduction and connection, themed "Setting Sail: The Additions and Subtractions for a Happy Family." Weeks 2 and 3 address self-compassion: Week 2 is themed "Self-compassion: Embrace yourself with compassion here and now."; Week 3 is themed "Self-compassion: Accepting "growing pains."." Weeks 4 and 5 explored developing compassion for others: Week 4 is themed "Listening to the heart: Enhancing communication, bringing us closer."; Week 5 is themed "Building a harbor together: Managing conflict, creating happiness" Week 6 involves integration and review, themed "Integrating knowledge and action: Practicing compassion, lighting the path forward."

Waiting list control group

The waiting list control group waited for 6 weeks after the baseline measurement for the post-test, and then conducted the same intervention.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Compassion-Based Family Therapy

Draw ideas from traditional Chinese culture, the investigators have developed the compassion-based family intervention therapy to improve the mental health of both parents and children by enhancing their synchronization.

The 6-week program followed a progressive thematic structure. Week 1 focuses on introduction and connection, themed "Setting Sail: The Additions and Subtractions for a Happy Family." Weeks 2 and 3 address self-compassion: Week 2 is themed "Self-compassion: Embrace yourself with compassion here and now."; Week 3 is themed "Self-compassion: Accepting "growing pains."." Weeks 4 and 5 explored developing compassion for others: Week 4 is themed "Listening to the heart: Enhancing communication, bringing us closer."; Week 5 is themed "Building a harbor together: Managing conflict, creating happiness" Week 6 involves integration and review, themed "Integrating knowledge and action: Practicing compassion, lighting the path forward."

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Adolescents aged 12-18 years
• Required scores at enrollment: 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) total score≥17 and ≤30; or Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) total score ≥18 and ≤29
• Required scores at enrollment: The item 3 score of HAMD-17 (suicide) ≤2
• No clear suicide plan or recent suicide attempt history; with consistent feedback from parents/guardians
• No history of severe psychotic symptoms or manic episodes
• No history of substance abuse
• Parent(s) willing to participate
• Absence of psychotic symptoms, no contraindications for MRI, and no major physical illnesses, etc.

Exclusion Criteria

• Adolescents diagnosed with a major psychiatric disorder (e.g., schizophrenia)
• Adolescents presenting with comorbid psychotic features
• Adolescents assessed as having suicide risk
• Parents who are illiterate (lacking reading and writing ability)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 12 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Xiang Yang Zhang

Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Dongmei Wang, Ph.D

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Science

Locations

Anhui Mental Health Center

Hefei, Anhui, China

Site Status: RECRUITING

Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing

Beijing, , China

Site Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Countries

China

Central Contacts

Dongmei Wang, Ph.D

Role: CONTACT

wangdm@psych.ac.cn

+86 132 4190 1959

Facility Contacts

Xiangyang Zhang, Ph.D

Role: primary

zhangxy@psych.ac.cn

86-10-62710644

Dong Mei Wang, Ph.D

Role: primary

wangdm@psych.ac.cn

+86 132 4190 1959

Other Identifiers

CASPsy8

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id