An interventional study of Online self-compassion intervention in Postpartum Depression (PPD), sponsored by Hong Kong Metropolitan University. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Hong Kong. Open to male participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-27.
Sponsored by Hong Kong Metropolitan University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
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).
The pilot non-RCT will be assessed using an online survey and semi-structured individual interviews. Preliminary effectiveness measures include self-compassion, emotion regulation, resilience, parenting sense of competence, parental stress, marital satisfaction, insomnia, generalized anxiety, and PPD measured at baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 2-month follow-up. Mixed-effects models will test changes between groups, while directed content analysis will be employed for qualitative data.
528 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression, Postpartum; 124 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 40 is below the median of 105 across 425 interventional studies indexed under Depression, Postpartum.
Browse Depression, Postpartum studies →Hong Kong Metropolitan University is the lead sponsor of 56 studies on the registry; 31 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Participants in the self-compassion group will receive five consecutive weekly sessions intervention.
Other: Online self-compassion 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.
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.
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).
Time frame: 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.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 months.
Emotion regulation
Emotion regulation will be measured by the 10-item Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). It includes two subscales: Cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. Items are rated on a 7-point scale (1=Strongly Disagree to 7=Strongly Agree). The total score for cognitive reappraisal ranges from 0 to 42, and the total score for expressive supression ranged from 0 to 28. Higher scores mean more frequent use of that strategy.The Cronbach's alpha was 0.82 and 0.77 for cognitive reappraisal and suppression, respectively.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 months
Self-compassion
Self-compassion will be measured using the 12-item short version of the self-compassion scale (SCS). Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Almost Never) to 5 (Almost Always). The total score ranged from 12 to 60, with higher score indicating higher level of self-compassion. The scale has demonstrated good internal consistency in Chinese sexual minorities (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87)
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of intervention at 2 months
Resilience
Resilience will be measured by the six-item brief resilience scale (BRS). Items are rated on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree). The total score ranges from 6 to 30, with higher score indicating higher level of resilience.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 months.
insomnia
Insomnia will be measured using the 7-item Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Items are measured on five point likert scale (0-4). The total score of 0-28, with higher scores meaning worse insomnia.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 months.
Parent sense of competency
Participant's sense of parent competency will be measured using the 17-item Parent Sense of Competency Scale (PSOC). Items are rated on a 6 point Likert scale anchored by 1 = "Strongly Disagree" and 6 = "Strongly Agree". The total score ranged from 17 to 102, with higher score indicating high level of parent competency.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 months.
Parental stress
Parental stress will be measured using the 17-item of the Chinese version of Parental Stress Scale (PSS). Items are raged on a 6-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 6 = strongly agree). The total score ranges from 17 to 102, with higher score indicating higher level of parental stress.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 months.
Plan to share: No
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This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Apr 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Hong Kong Metropolitan University