DissociationNCT05519748
Effectiveness of an Online Psychoeducation Program for Improving Coping in People With a High Level of Dissociative Symptoms: A Pilot Randomized Waitlist-controlled Trial
A study testing Online psychoeducational program in people with Dissociation, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
Subject Population Our study's target population is people with pathological dissociation in the community. Research Design A pilot randomized waitlist-controlled trial will investigate the effects of an online psychoeducation program on coping, symptom management, and self-efficacy of people with pathological… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 64 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Dissociation
- What is being tested?
- Online psychoeducational program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 101 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2022to 30 Nov 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 64 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- agree to give informed consent and participate
- aged 18 or above
- self-reported symptoms or experiences of pathological dissociation
- screened positive on the Chinese version of the DES-T (i.e., DES-T score 20 or above) at a baseline screening
- able to understand and communicate in Chinese-Cantonese
- have access to the internet.
Who cannot join
- Individuals who have a reading disorder, cognitive impairment, dementia, or intellectual disabilities
- Individuals who are participating in any research studies
- Individuals who had participated in our previous feasibility study of the same intervention
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Subject Population Our study's target population is people with pathological dissociation in the community.
Research Design A pilot randomized waitlist-controlled trial will investigate the effects of an online psychoeducation program on coping, symptom management, and self-efficacy of people with pathological dissociation immediately (posttest-1) and 2-month (posttest-2) post-intervention. Supplementary semi-structured interviews will be conducted for process evaluation. The analysis and reporting of the trial will strictly follow the CONSORT guidelines.
Read more
Instrument The primary outcome of our study is the coping ability of individuals with pathological dissociation, which will be assessed by the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief-COPE). The secondary outcome measures are dissociative symptoms, emotional regulation, and self-efficacy, which would be assessed by the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon (DES-T), the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) accordingly.
Procedure The online psychoeducation program is developed based on an integrative theoretical framework that integrates the Stress and Coping model, Cognitive-Behavioural Theory, Bandura's self-efficacy theory, and findings of our previous feasibility studies on this psychoeducational program. Participants will be recruited via posting on social media and online forums. A 16-session online psychoeducation program will be delivered to the participants in eight weeks.
- Conditions
- Dissociation
- Being tested
- Online psychoeducational program
- Medical subject headings
- Dissociative Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Online psychoeducational programBehavioural
The intervention group will receive an online psychoeducational program for 8 weeks. The psychoeducation package consists of 16 different sets of reading materials and post-session writing/reflection exercises, which will be delivered to the participants twice a week.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Online psychoeducational program | Experimental | The intervention group will receive an online psychoeducational program for 8 weeks. The psychoeducation package consists of 16 different sets of reading materials and post-session writing/reflection exercises, which will be delivered to the participants twice a week. The program is designed to be a brief, trauma-informed, dissociation-focused education package that aims to enable users to better understand and cope with their post-traumatic and dissociative reactions and related life challenges. There are specific psychoeducation elements in each session, such as: (1) safety issues planning, (2) understanding the impacts of trauma and stress, (3) understanding the concept of dissociation and integration of the personality, (4) identifying and coping with the post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms, (5) identifying trauma-related cognitive distortions. Receives: Behavioral: Online psychoeducational program |
| Waitlist control | Other | The waitlist control group will receive an online psychoeducational program for 8 weeks a week after the completion of the two-month follow-up in the intervention group. The psychoeducation package is identical to the program in the intervention group. Receives: Behavioral: Online psychoeducational program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief-COPE)
Change in participants' coping strategies, as assessed using the Brief-COPE. This measure has 28 items and is a commonly used self-report measure of coping strategies. The Chinese version of the Brief-COPE had excellent internal consistency, test-retest reliability and content validity. Higher scores indicate more significant use of that specific coping strategy.
Measured: Immediately and two months after completion of the intervention in the experimental group
Secondary outcomes (1)
Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon (DES-T)
Change in participants' pathological dissociative experiences, as assessed using the DES-T. This measure has 8 items and can be used to screen for pathological dissociative experiences. The Chinese version of the DES-T demonstrated good construct validity and good discriminant validity between participants with and without clinically diagnosed dissociative disorders, with a cut-off score of 20. Higher scores indicate more frequent dissociative symptoms.
Measured: Immediately and two months after completion of the intervention in the experimental group
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Aug 2022
- Study start1 Sep 2022
- Primary completion30 Nov 2023
- Study completion30 Nov 2023
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for DissociationStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Chinese University of Hong KongThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 101 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Lam Kam Ki Stanley, Chinese University of Hong Kong
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05519748
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 6906334
- Status last verified
- May 2024
- First submitted
- 22 Aug 2022
- Last updated
- 24 May 2024
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Lam SKK, Fung HW. Can dissociative symptoms be explained by coping and emotion regulation? A longitudinal investigation. Psychol Trauma. 2025 Nov;17(8):1691-1698. doi: 10.1037/tra0001713. Epub 2024 Jun 20.
PubMed 38900513
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 May 2024. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effectiveness of an Online Psychoeducation Program for Improving Coping in People With a High Level of Dissociative Symptoms: A Pilot Randomized Waitlist-controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05519748
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 6906334
- Conditions
- Dissociation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 101 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Chinese University of Hong KongUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Nov 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Nov 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 29 Aug 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Subject Population Our study's target population is people with pathological dissociation in the community.
Research Design A pilot randomized waitlist-controlled trial will investigate the effects of an online psychoeducation program on coping, symptom management, and self-efficacy of people with pathological dissociation immediately (posttest-1) and 2-month (posttest-2) post-intervention. Supplementary semi-structured interviews will be conducted for process evaluation. The analysis and reporting of the trial will strictly follow the CONSORT guidelines.
Instrument The primary outcome of our study is the coping ability of individuals with pathological dissociation, which will be assessed by the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief-COPE). The secondary outcome measures are dissociative symptoms, emotional regulation, and self-efficacy, which would be assessed by the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon (DES-T), the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) accordingly.
Procedure The online psychoeducation program is developed based on an integrative theoretical framework that integrates the Stress and Coping model, Cognitive-Behavioural Theory, Bandura's self-efficacy theory, and findings of our previous feasibility studies on this psychoeducational program. Participants will be recruited via posting on social media and online forums. A 16-session online psychoeducation program will be delivered to the participants in eight weeks.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Online psychoeducational program | Experimental | Behavioral: Online psychoeducational programThe intervention group will receive an online psychoeducational program for 8 weeks. The psychoeducation package consists of 16 different sets of reading materials and post-session writing/reflection exercises, which will be delivered to the participants twice a week. The program is designed to be a brief, trauma-informed, dissociation-focused education package that aims to enable users to better understand and cope with their post-traumatic and dissociative reactions and related life challenges. There are specific psychoeducation elements in each session, such as: (1) safety issues planning, (2) understanding the impacts of trauma and stress, (3) understanding the concept of dissociation and integration of the personality, (4) identifying and coping with the post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms, (5) identifying trauma-related cognitive distortions. |
| Waitlist control | Other | Behavioral: Online psychoeducational programThe waitlist control group will receive an online psychoeducational program for 8 weeks a week after the completion of the two-month follow-up in the intervention group. The psychoeducation package is identical to the program in the intervention group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 64 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- agree to give informed consent and participate
- aged 18 or above
- self-reported symptoms or experiences of pathological dissociation
- screened positive on the Chinese version of the DES-T (i.e., DES-T score 20 or above) at a baseline screening
- able to understand and communicate in Chinese-Cantonese
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Individuals who have a reading disorder, cognitive impairment, dementia, or intellectual disabilities
- Individuals who are participating in any research studies
- Individuals who had participated in our previous feasibility study of the same intervention
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Online psychoeducational programThe intervention group will receive an online psychoeducational program for 8 weeks. The psychoeducation package consists of 16 different sets of reading materials and post-session writing/reflection exercises, which will be delivered to the participants twice a week. | Behavioural | Online psychoeducational program, Waitlist control |
Primary outcome
Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief-COPE)
Time frame: Immediately and two months after completion of the intervention in the experimental group
Change in participants' coping strategies, as assessed using the Brief-COPE. This measure has 28 items and is a commonly used self-report measure of coping strategies. The Chinese version of the Brief-COPE had excellent internal consistency, test-retest reliability and content validity. Higher scores indicate more significant use of that specific coping strategy.
1 secondary outcome
Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon (DES-T)
Time frame: Immediately and two months after completion of the intervention in the experimental group
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 May 2024.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 38900513Lam SKK, Fung HW. Can dissociative symptoms be explained by coping and emotion regulation? A longitudinal investigation. Psychol Trauma. 2025 Nov;17(8):1691-1698. doi: 10.1037/tra0001713. Epub 2024 Jun 20.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Online psychoeducational program in people with Dissociation, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 May 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief-COPE) (time frame: Immediately and two months after completion of the intervention in the experimental group). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05519748, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 May 2024.