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.

Inclusion Criteria: * 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). Exclusion Criteria: * 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.