Compassion-Based Family Intervention for Adolescents
ConditionEmotional Disorder
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age12-18
SponsorBeijing HuiLongGuan Hospital
About this trial
Adolescents with emotional disorders often experience psychological distress that may also affect their parents, creating bidirectional stress within the family. This randomized waitlist-controlled trial will evaluate a 6-week compassion-based family intervention involving adolescents and their parents. A total of 60 parent-adolescent dyads will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a waitlist control group. The primary outcomes are adolescents' depressive and anxiety symptoms. Secondary outcomes include broader psychological and family-related measures. Parent-child neural and physiological synchrony will also be explored using fNIRS hyperscanning and wearable devices. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month and 6-month follow-ups.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
the adolescent is aged 12-18 years
for the adolescent, required scores at enrollment: at least one of the following criteria is met (i) 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) (Hamilton, 1960) total score ≥17 and ≤30, (ii) Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) (Hamilton, 1959) total score ≥18 and ≤29; and in addition, the HAMD-17 item 3 (suicide) score must be ≤ 2
at least one parent is willing to participate
the adolescent has normal auditory and visual perception abilities and intellectual functioning
Disqualifiers
the adolescent presents with psychotic symptoms, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia
the parent suffers from a mental illness or psychological disorder
the adolescent or their parent has a history of substance abuse
the adolescent or their parent has a severe neurological disorder or major physical disease
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Compassion-Based Family Intervention
Other interventionA 6-week program (120 minutes weekly) combining theoretical content and group activities, with additional home practice (emotion diaries and meditation). Content focuses on cultivating self-compassion and compassion for others, developing inward awareness and outward observation, improving perspective-taking and communication skills, and managing conflict within the family. Weekly themes: Week 1 "Setting Sail Together, Understanding Love in Thought and Action"; Week 2 "Inward Awareness, Resonance of Body and Mind"; Week 3 "Outward Observation, Seeing One Another Clearly"; Week 4 "Shifting Perspectives, Bridging Boundaries"; Week 5 "Perspective-Taking, Managing Conflict"; Week 6 "Harnessing Compassion, Bringing Love Home."
Treatment groups
60 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Compassion-based family intervention groupExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Waiting list control groupNo intervention 0 interventions
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Children's depression levels
Children's depression levels will be assessed using the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). The total score of 27 items will be calculated, with each item scored from 0 to 2. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms.
Time frame
baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 3, 6 month follow-up2
Children's anxiety levels
Children's anxiety levels will be assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The total score of 21 items will be calculated, with each item scored from 0 to 3. Higher scores indicate more severe anxiety.
Time frame
baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 3, 6 month follow-upSecondary outcomes
1
Self-Compassion
The self-compassion levels of both parents and adolescents will be assessed using the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). The mean score (ranging from 1 to 5 per item) will be calculated. Higher scores indicate greater self-compassion.
Time frame
baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 3, 6 month follow-up2
Fears of Compassion
The fear of compassion levels of both parents and adolescents will be assessed using the Fears of Compassion Scales (FCS). The total score of the three subscales (ranging from 0 to 4 per item) of Fear of Compassion for Self, Fear of Compassion for Others, and Fear of Receiving Compassion from Others will be calculated. Higher scores indicate greater fear of compassion.
Time frame
baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 3, 6 month follow-up3
Perceived emotional synchrony
The emotional synchrony of both parents and adolescents will be assessed using the Perceived Emotional Synchrony Scale (PESS). The mean score of the two subscales (ranging from 1 to 7 per item) of Emotional Communion and Felt Unity will be calculated. Higher scores indicate greater perceived emotional synchrony.
Time frame
baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 3, 6 month follow-up4
Parenting stress
Parenting stress will be assessed using the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF). The total score of 36 items will be calculated, with each item scored from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate greater parenting stress.
Time frame
baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 3, 6 month follow-upOther outcomes
1
Parent-child neural synchrony (fNIRS hyperscanning)
The fNIRS measures are designated as exploratory mechanistic outcomes to investigate potential intervention-related changes in parent-child neural synchrony. Wavelet transform coherence (WTC) will be computed from oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (HbR) signals measured during the emotional video co-viewing task. WTC values in the 0.02-0.1 Hz frequency band will be used to quantify brain-to-brain synchrony. Higher coherence indicates stronger neural synchrony.
Time frame
baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 3, 6 month follow-up2
Parent-child physiological synchrony (HRV)
The HRV measures are designated as exploratory mechanistic outcomes to investigate potential intervention-related changes in parent-child physiological synchrony. HRV metrics will be derived from inter-beat interval recordings obtained using Huawei Band 8 wearable devices. Parent-child physiological synchrony will be quantified using the cross-correlation function applied to the HRV time series for each parent-child dyad.
Time frame
baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 3, 6 month follow-upSponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov