Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)SHE RCTNCT07733531
Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment
A study testing The Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) Intervention and Health and Nutrition Program in people with Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Depression and/or Anxiety Symptoms, run by Yang Li at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Intimate partner violence (IPV) can have serious and lasting effects on women's mental health and well-being. Chinese immigrant women in the United States often face additional barriers to obtaining IPV and mental health support, including language, cultural, and social challenges. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), Depression and/or Anxiety Symptoms, PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- What is being tested?
- The Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) Intervention and Health and Nutrition Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 364 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2026to 31 Aug 2030
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18 or older;
- Self-identify as a woman;
- Self-identify as Chinese;
- Reside in the U.S.;
- Self-report experiences of any physical, emotional, or sexual violence from an intimate partner within the past year;
- Self-report symptoms of depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Who cannot join
- Those who cannot speak or understand Mandarin or English;
- Those with substance use, suicidality, or who have been in mental health care for severe mental illness.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas, 78712
Yang Li, 512-471-9075, yang.li@nursing.utexas.edu
About this study
Official title: Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment: A Randomized Controlled Trial for Chinese Immigrant Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate partner violence (IPV) can have serious and lasting effects on women's mental health and well-being. Chinese immigrant women in the United States often face additional barriers to obtaining IPV and mental health support, including language, cultural, and social challenges. There is a need for culturally appropriate interventions that improve access to care and address the mental health needs of this underserved population.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) intervention, a culturally tailored mobile health (mHealth) program designed for Chinese immigrant women experiencing IPV. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the SHE intervention or an attention control program and will complete study assessments over a 12-month follow-up period.
The results of this study will help determine whether the SHE intervention improves mental health and well-being among Chinese immigrant women experiencing IPV and may provide evidence for an accessible, culturally appropriate intervention that can be implemented more broadly.
Read the detailed description
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health problem that has profound effects on women's physical and mental health. Immigrant women are at increased risk for IPV and often face substantial barriers to accessing support and health services. Chinese immigrants are the largest Asian ethnic group in the United States, yet Chinese immigrant women experiencing IPV remain an underserved population. Cultural stigma, limited English proficiency, immigration-related concerns, social isolation, and limited availability of culturally and linguistically appropriate services contribute to disparities in access to IPV and mental health care.
Mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are common among women who have experienced IPV. However, few evidence-based interventions have been developed specifically for Chinese immigrant women, and existing services often do not adequately address the cultural and structural barriers that limit access to care.
The Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) intervention was developed to address these unmet needs. SHE is a culturally tailored, mobile health (mHealth) intervention that combines safety planning and empowerment strategies with self-compassion and relaxation practices to improve psychological well-being. Delivering the intervention remotely through telephone and text messaging is intended to increase accessibility, reduce barriers related to transportation, geography, stigma, and privacy, and facilitate engagement among Chinese immigrant women.
This study is a two-arm randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of the SHE intervention compared with an attention control condition. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the SHE intervention or a health education attention control program delivered with the same schedule and frequency of participant contact. The study will evaluate the effects of the intervention on mental health outcomes, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD, as well as IPV experiences and other psychosocial outcomes, from baseline through 12 months of follow-up.
The findings from this study will provide evidence regarding the efficacy of a culturally tailored mHealth intervention to improve mental health and well-being among Chinese immigrant women experiencing IPV. If effective, the SHE intervention has the potential to increase access to culturally appropriate support and reduce disparities in mental health care for this underserved population.
- Conditions
- Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), Depression and/or Anxiety Symptoms, PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Being tested
- The Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) Intervention, Health and Nutrition Program
- Keywords
- Empowerment, Self-compassion, mindfulness, safety
- Medical subject headings
- Combat Disorders, Empowerment
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
The Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) InterventionBehavioural
The intervention will consist of 6 weekly sessions. Session 1 is a phone discussion about an IPV safety brochure covering IPV information, questions from the Danger Assessment, safety planning, options, and available resources. It also includes immigrant-specific content such as immigration-related abuse, legal options for immigrants, and resources for immigrant survivors. Sessions 2-6 will focus on providing mental health self-care resources, with a specific topic assigned each week (Deep Breathing, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Mindful Self- Compassion, Mindfulness, and Loving-Kindness). Each session includes a video introduction on 1 of our 5 topics, with accompanying audio instructions for exercises. The interventionist will guide participants to review the video at the beginning of each session and encourage them to practice the exercises presented in that session daily for 1 week.
Health and Nutrition ProgramBehavioural
It consists of six weekly educational sessions focused on nutrition and health. Each week, participants will view a video on a specific nutrition-related topic and complete a quiz/homework (e.g., food label identification, healthy meal planning). Reminder and check-in messages will be sent every other day via text messages to reinforce the content and respond to any participant questions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| The SHE intervention group | Experimental | The intervention will consist of 6 weekly sessions. Session 1 is a phone discussion about an IPV safety brochure covering IPV information, questions from the Danger Assessment, safety planning, options, and available resources. It also includes immigrant-specific content such as immigration-related abuse, legal options for immigrants, and resources for immigrant survivors. Sessions 2-6 will focus on providing mental health self-care resources, with a specific topic assigned each week (Deep Breathing, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Mindful Self- Compassion, Mindfulness, and Loving-Kindness). Each session includes a video introduction on 1 of our 5 topics, with accompanying audio instructions for exercises. The interventionist will guide participants to review the video at the beginning of each session and encourage them to practice the exercises presented in that session daily for 1 week. Receives: Behavioral: The Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) Intervention |
| The attention control group | Active comparator | Participants in the attention control group will receive six weekly educational sessions on nutrition and health, matched in delivery mode, timing, and frequency of contacts with the intervention group. Receives: Behavioral: Health and Nutrition Program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Depression symptoms
The instrument used will be the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The total scores range from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms.
Measured: Baseline and 6-week, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups
Anxiety symptoms
The instrument used will be the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7. The total scores range from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating more severe anxiety symptoms.
Measured: Baseline and 6-week, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups
Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
The instrument used will be the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5. The total scores range from 0 to 80, with higher scores indicating more severe PTSD symptoms.
Measured: Baseline and 6-week, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups
Secondary outcomes (1)
Intimate partner violence
The instrument used will be the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales. Item scores within each subscale were summed, with higher scores indicating more frequent experiences of the corresponding behaviors. The scale consists of five subscales: negotiation (6 items; score range = 0-150), psychological aggression (8 items; score range = 0-200), physical assault (12 items; score range = 0-300), sexual coercion (7 items; score range = 0-175), and injury (6 items; score range = 0-150).
Measured: Baseline and 6-week, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Jul 2026
- Study start1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion31 Aug 2030 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Aug 2030 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 364 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Yang Li
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Yang Li, University of Texas at Austin
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07733531
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY00007939
- Other IDs
- 1R01NR022445-01A1
- Acronym
- SHE RCT
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 30 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 30 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment: A Randomized Controlled Trial for Chinese Immigrant Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07733531
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SHE RCT / STUDY00007939
- Conditions
- Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), Depression and/or Anxiety Symptoms, PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Keywords
- Empowerment, Self-compassion, mindfulness, safety
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 364 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Yang LiUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 31 Aug 2030 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Aug 2030 (estimated)
- First posted
- 29 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) can have serious and lasting effects on women's mental health and well-being. Chinese immigrant women in the United States often face additional barriers to obtaining IPV and mental health support, including language, cultural, and social challenges. There is a need for culturally appropriate interventions that improve access to care and address the mental health needs of this underserved population.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) intervention, a culturally tailored mobile health (mHealth) program designed for Chinese immigrant women experiencing IPV. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the SHE intervention or an attention control program and will complete study assessments over a 12-month follow-up period.
The results of this study will help determine whether the SHE intervention improves mental health and well-being among Chinese immigrant women experiencing IPV and may provide evidence for an accessible, culturally appropriate intervention that can be implemented more broadly.
Detailed description
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health problem that has profound effects on women's physical and mental health. Immigrant women are at increased risk for IPV and often face substantial barriers to accessing support and health services. Chinese immigrants are the largest Asian ethnic group in the United States, yet Chinese immigrant women experiencing IPV remain an underserved population. Cultural stigma, limited English proficiency, immigration-related concerns, social isolation, and limited availability of culturally and linguistically appropriate services contribute to disparities in access to IPV and mental health care.
Mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are common among women who have experienced IPV. However, few evidence-based interventions have been developed specifically for Chinese immigrant women, and existing services often do not adequately address the cultural and structural barriers that limit access to care.
The Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) intervention was developed to address these unmet needs. SHE is a culturally tailored, mobile health (mHealth) intervention that combines safety planning and empowerment strategies with self-compassion and relaxation practices to improve psychological well-being. Delivering the intervention remotely through telephone and text messaging is intended to increase accessibility, reduce barriers related to transportation, geography, stigma, and privacy, and facilitate engagement among Chinese immigrant women.
This study is a two-arm randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of the SHE intervention compared with an attention control condition. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the SHE intervention or a health education attention control program delivered with the same schedule and frequency of participant contact. The study will evaluate the effects of the intervention on mental health outcomes, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD, as well as IPV experiences and other psychosocial outcomes, from baseline through 12 months of follow-up.
The findings from this study will provide evidence regarding the efficacy of a culturally tailored mHealth intervention to improve mental health and well-being among Chinese immigrant women experiencing IPV. If effective, the SHE intervention has the potential to increase access to culturally appropriate support and reduce disparities in mental health care for this underserved population.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| The SHE intervention group | Experimental | Behavioral: The Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) InterventionThe intervention will consist of 6 weekly sessions. Session 1 is a phone discussion about an IPV safety brochure covering IPV information, questions from the Danger Assessment, safety planning, options, and available resources. It also includes immigrant-specific content such as immigration-related abuse, legal options for immigrants, and resources for immigrant survivors. Sessions 2-6 will focus on providing mental health self-care resources, with a specific topic assigned each week (Deep Breathing, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Mindful Self- Compassion, Mindfulness, and Loving-Kindness). Each session includes a video introduction on 1 of our 5 topics, with accompanying audio instructions for exercises. The interventionist will guide participants to review the video at the beginning of each session and encourage them to practice the exercises presented in that session daily for 1 week. |
| The attention control group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Health and Nutrition ProgramParticipants in the attention control group will receive six weekly educational sessions on nutrition and health, matched in delivery mode, timing, and frequency of contacts with the intervention group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Age 18 or older;
- Self-identify as a woman;
- Self-identify as Chinese;
- Reside in the U.S.;
- Self-report experiences of any physical, emotional, or sexual violence from an intimate partner within the past year;
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Those who cannot speak or understand Mandarin or English;
- Those with substance use, suicidality, or who have been in mental health care for severe mental illness.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| The Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) InterventionThe intervention will consist of 6 weekly sessions. Session 1 is a phone discussion about an IPV safety brochure covering IPV information, questions from the Danger Assessment, safety planning, options, and available resources. It also includes immigrant-specific content such as immigration-related abuse, legal options for immigrants, and resources for immigrant survivors. Sessions 2-6 will focus on providing mental health self-care resources, with a specific topic assigned each week (Deep Breathing, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Mindful Self- Compassion, Mindfulness, and Loving-Kindness). Each session includes a video introduction on 1 of our 5 topics, with accompanying audio instructions for exercises. The interventionist will guide participants to review the video at the beginning of each session and encourage them to practice the exercises presented in that session daily for 1 week. | Behavioural | The SHE intervention group |
| Health and Nutrition ProgramIt consists of six weekly educational sessions focused on nutrition and health. Each week, participants will view a video on a specific nutrition-related topic and complete a quiz/homework (e.g., food label identification, healthy meal planning). Reminder and check-in messages will be sent every other day via text messages to reinforce the content and respond to any participant questions. | Behavioural | The attention control group |
Primary outcome
Depression symptoms
Time frame: Baseline and 6-week, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups
The instrument used will be the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The total scores range from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms.
Anxiety symptoms
Time frame: Baseline and 6-week, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups
The instrument used will be the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7. The total scores range from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating more severe anxiety symptoms.
Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Time frame: Baseline and 6-week, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups
The instrument used will be the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5. The total scores range from 0 to 80, with higher scores indicating more severe PTSD symptoms.
1 secondary outcome
Intimate partner violence
Time frame: Baseline and 6-week, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 30 Jul 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing The Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) Intervention and Health and Nutrition Program in people with Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Depression and/or Anxiety Symptoms, run by Yang Li at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 30 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Yang Li (512-471-9075, yang.li@nursing.utexas.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Depression symptoms (time frame: Baseline and 6-week, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 30 Jul 2026.