An Online Self-compassion Intervention for Anxiety and Depression in Fathers of Infants: A Feasibility Study

NCT07077759 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: HE-RD/2025/1.8
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

To investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of an online mindfulness and self-compassion intervention for the mental health in fathers experiencing paternal perinatal depression (PPD).

Conditions

Postpartum Depression (PPD)

Keywords

Paternal perinatal depression; father; self-compassion

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Paternal perinatal depression

  Paternal perinatal depression will be measured using the Chinese version of the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Items are rated on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). The total score ranges from 0 to 27, with higher total scores indicating higher levels of depressive symptoms. The scale is reliable in the Chinese population (Cronbach's α = 0.82).

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 months.

• Anxiety

  Anxiety symptoms will be measured using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Items are rated on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). The total score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher total scores indicating higher levels of anxiety symptoms.

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 months.

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Emotion regulation

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 months

• Self-compassion

  From enrollment to the end of intervention at 2 months

• Resilience

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 months.

• insomnia

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 months.

• Parent sense of competency

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 months.

Study Arms (2)

Online self-compassion intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the self-compassion group will receive five consecutive weekly sessions intervention.

Other: Online self-compassion intervention

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in the waiting-list control group will receive the same training after the completion of the intervention at a 2-month follow-up.

Interventions

Online self-compassion intervention OTHER

Participants in the intervention group will receive five consecutive weekly sessions, with each session lasting 2 hours (totaling 10 hours). Each session will include an introduction, guided exercises, group discussions and home practice.

Online self-compassion intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• aged 18 years or above
• the biological father who is expecting or the biological father of infants within 24 months old
• experienced mild to moderate anxiety (5 ≤ GAD ≤14) or depression symptoms (5≤ PHQ ≤ 19)
• sufficient comprehension of Cantonese
• currently live in Hong Kong
• able to provide informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• currently experiencing psychosis
• having an intellectual disability
• experiencing current suicidal ideation
• participation in a similar study or received similar services in the past year

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hong Kong Metropolitan University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depression, Postpartum

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Puerperal Disorders; Pregnancy Complications; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Urogenital Diseases; Depressive Disorder; Mood Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Model Details: non-RCT with a waiting-list control group

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 12, 2025
• First Posted: July 22, 2025
• Study Start: October 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: January 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2026
• Last Updated: April 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

HK (1)