A Controlled Trial on the Effect of Self-Compassion Group Psychotherapy on Adolescents With Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent mental disorder among adolescents, yet its clinical management remains challenging. This controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of self-compassion group psychotherapy as an adjunctive treatment for adolescents with MDD. Sixty adolescents with MDD were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between March and August 2024 and were assigned to an intervention group (n = 30) or a comparison group (n = 30). Both groups received standard pharmacotherapy, whereas the intervention group additionally participated in a 6-week self-compassion group psychotherapy programme. Depression severity, sleep quality, emotional and behavioural problems, and general mental health were assessed at baseline and post-intervention using the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-24), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), respectively. After treatment, HAMD-24 scores decreased significantly in both groups, with a greater reduction observed in the intervention group compared with the comparison group (p < 0.01). Similarly, PSQI scores improved in both groups, with significantly greater improvement in the intervention group (p < 0.01). The intervention group also showed significantly lower scores on all SDQ difficulty subscales (emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention and peer relationship problems) and higher scores on the prosocial behaviour subscale compared with the comparison group. In addition, the intervention group exhibited significantly lower scores on the interpersonal sensitivity and somatization subscales of the SCL-90 (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that self-compassion group psychotherapy, as an adjunct to pharmacological treatment, may improve depressive symptoms, sleep quality, emotional and behavioural functioning, and interpersonal relationships among adolescents with MDD, and may also enhance prosocial behaviour. Overall, this intervention shows promise as an effective adjunctive approach for this population. Trial Registration: China Clinical Trial Registry: MR-50-24-010298.