Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment

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.

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.