Can Self-Compassion help homeless women heal from trauma and addiction?

NCT ID NCT06646692

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tested a 6-week mindful self-compassion program for homeless women with PTSD and substance use. The program includes meditation, group discussions, and home practices. Researchers compared the program to usual care in 202 women living in a residential drug treatment facility. The goal was to see if the program could reduce PTSD symptoms, substance use, depression, and anxiety.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program
What this could lead to: If it works, this could provide a low-cost, group-based tool to help homeless women manage PTSD and substance use, reducing symptoms and improving quality of life.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-stage trial with no blinding, and results may not apply to other groups. The intervention is behavioral, so effects may be modest and not sustained long-term.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

230 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

May 2024

Finished

Nov 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Female participants only

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Identifies as woman * Age 18 and over * Probable PTSD as judged by the PCL-5 (score of 31 or higher, indicated as having optimal signal detection) * No cognitive impairment according to a score of \< 10 on the Short-Blessed Test * Experienced homelessness in the past 6 months or prior to incarceration ("spent night in public or private shelter or on the street") * Able to speak and understand English. Exclusion Criteria: * Not able to speak English * Judged to be cognitively impaired, as indicated by score \> 10 on the Short-Blessed Screener * Does not meet other inclusion criteria

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anxiety anxiety disorder Depression major depressive disorder post-traumatic stress disorder substance-related disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Anxiety Depression - major depressive disorder Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Can Self-Compassion help homeless women heal from trauma and addiction?

What the study statuses mean