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NCT Number: NCT07809529

An "EmbraceMe" Self-compassion Intervention for Transgender and Gender-diverse People in Hong Kong

This proposed pilot study aims to evaluate the "EmbraceMe", a self-compassion intervention to improve positive body image and mental health among transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people in Hong Kong.

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Key information

Conditions

Self-Compassion Behavior Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being Social Behavior Social Stigma

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Hong Kong, 999077

Location contact

Haixia Ma, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

(852) 3970 2990

About this study

  • To assess the feasibility of the intervention.
  • To investigate the acceptability of the intervention.
  • To evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of the intervention in improving self-compassion, body image, and mental health outcomes.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • aged 18 years or above;
  • self-identified as a transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individual;
  • sufficient comprehension of Cantonese;
  • currently livein Hong Kong;
  • able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

  • currently experiencing psychosis;
  • having an intellectual disability;
  • experiencing current suicidal ideation (score ≥ 4) as measured using the Columbiasuicide severity rating scale
  • currently enrolled in or have previously received similarservices or interventions.

Treatment and study plan

"Embraceme" self-compassion intervention

Other

Participants in the "EmbraceMe" intervention group will receive group-based self-compassion intervention comprising 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.

Primary outcomes

  1. Feasibility outcomes

    Time frame: Baseline; immediately after the intervention; 3-month post-intervention.

    Completion rate: In each group, the completion rate is defined as the number of participants who complete outcome measurements at immediate post-intervention and 3-month follow-up divided by those who are randomized.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Acceptability

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention

    The acceptability of the intervention will be assessed using a self-developed online acceptancequestionnaire. It consists of 10 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very dissatisfied, 5 = very satisfied).

    Furthermore, semi-structured individual interviews will be conducted to explore the participants' experiences of the intervention.

  2. Self-compassion

    Time frame: Baseline; immediately after the intervention; 3-month post-intervention.

    Self-compassion will be measured using the short version of the self-compassion scale. It has 12 items. The total score ranges from 12 to 60, with higher scores indicating a higher level of self-compassion.

  3. Internalized stigma

    Time frame: Baseline; immediately after the intervention; 3-month post-intervention.

    Internalized stigma will be measured by the Chinese version of the self-stigma scale. It has 9 items. The total score ranges from 9 to 36, with higher scores indicating a higher level of internalized stigma.

  4. Self-esteem

    Time frame: Baseline; immediately after the intervention; 3-month post-intervention.

    Self-esteem will be assessed by the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RES). It has 10 items. The total score ranges from 10 to 40, with higher scores indicating highlevels of self-esteem.

  5. Body appreciation

    Time frame: Baseline; immediately after the intervention; 3-month post-intervention.

    Body appreciation will be measured by the body appreciation scale (BAS-2). It has 10 items. The total score ranges from 5 to 50, with higher scores representing a higher level of body appreciation.

  6. Anxiety

    Time frame: Baseline; immediately after the intervention; 3-month post-intervention.

    Anxiety symptoms will be screened using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale(GAD-7). It has 7 items. The total score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores representing a higher level of anxiety.

  7. Depression

    Time frame: Baseline; immediately after the intervention; 3-month post-intervention.

    Depression will be measured using the 9-item Patient HealthQuestionnaire (PHQ-9). It has nine items. The total score ranges from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating a higher level of depression.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Haixia MA, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

(852) 3970-2990 ext. 2990

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

An "EmbraceMe" Self-compassion Intervention for Body Image and Mental Health of Transgender and Gender-diverse People in Hong Kong: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2028
First posted
Sep 9, 2026
Registry last updated
Sep 9, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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