Group-based Nonviolent Communication Training to Improve Mental Well-being in Parents of Primary School Children

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effects of face-to-face Nonviolent Communication NVC training on parents mental well-being, parenting stress, depression, anxiety symptoms, and child emotional and behavioral problems. This randomized controlled trial will include 172 parents with primary-school-age children who have mild to severe symptoms of depression or anxiety. The study is led by Hong Kong Metropolitan University and aims to explore how NVC skills can improve family dynamics and parental mental health. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a waitlist control group. The intervention group will receive six weekly face-to-face NVC training sessions, each lasting 1.5 hours, led by trained social workers. The sessions cover key NVC principles such as distinguishing observations from evaluations, expressing feelings, and making positive requests. The waitlist control group will receive no training during the initial assessment period but will complete the same sessions after all study assessments are finished. Parents will be assessed at three time points before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and three months later. Measurements include well-being, NVC skills, parenting stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and child emotional and behavioral problems. Additionally, qualitative interviews will gather participants experiences with NVC. Social workers delivering the intervention will also be evaluated before and after their training and again at 10 months. The total study period includes baseline assessments, intervention delivery, follow-up, and delayed training for the control group.

Nonviolent Communication for Parents