The Therapeutic Mechanism of Compassion-Based Family Intervention

Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Emotional Disorder

Treatments: Other: Compassion-Based Family Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07138417

CASPsy8

Details and patient eligibility

About

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 (CFI) 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.

Full 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 1, 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.

Enrollment: 120 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 12 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

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)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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120 participants in 2 patient groups

Compassion-based family intervention group

Experimental group

Description:

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.

Treatment:

Other: Compassion-Based Family Therapy

Waiting list control group

No Intervention group

Description:

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