Culture Beliefs and Dynamic Cognitions in CBT in China: From Cultural Meaning-Making to Family Related Belief Informed Intervention
4 - (SYM 29) A Multicenter Randomized Family Group Trial of a Growth Mindset Intervention for Adolescents with Emotional Disorders in Ethnic Minority Regions: A Multimodal and Mechanism-focused Investigation
Friday, June 26, 2026
2:56 PM - 3:13 PM PDT
Location: Yerba Buena Salon 6, B3 Level
Keywords: Group Therapy, Randomized Controlled Trial, Families
China Peking University Beijing, Beijing, China (People's Republic)
Abstract Body
Background
Adolescent emotional disorders are highly prevalent, and ethnic minority regions face exacerbated risks due to limited access to family-based evidence-based interventions. Though CBT-based family programs are effective, they focus on symptoms/skills rather than shared family belief systems that shape emotional meaning-making. Growth mindset theory identifies emotion malleability beliefs as a critical, underexplored family-level intervention target.
Methods
This project included three sequential studies:
Study 1: Developed a manualized, theory-driven growth mindset–oriented family group intervention (integrating developmental psychopathology, meaning-making, and family systems perspectives) with a dual-track (parallel adolescent/parent groups) 10-week format.
Study 2: A multicenter RCT in Southwest China ethnic minority region psychiatric hospitals: 80 families (adolescents with anxiety/depressive disorders) randomized to growth mindset or structurally matched CBT family groups. Assessments: multi-informant symptoms, mindset beliefs, emotion regulation/cognitive flexibility, family interaction variables, and exploratory physiology (hair/salivary cortisol, HRV, sleep–activity rhythms).
Study 3: Evaluated online delivery feasibility/directional effects for accessibility/scalability.
Results
Study 2: Both conditions showed significant symptom reductions (growth mindset: d=0.81; CBT: d=0.69; no between-group difference, supporting non-inferiority). Belief outcomes differentiated groups: growth mindset adolescents/parents had greater fixed mindset reductions (parent d=0.72). Exploratory analyses showed modest chronic stress reductions in growth mindset; qualitative data revealed parent shifts from confusion to adaptive meaning reconstruction. Study 3 showed comparable online effects and high acceptability.
Conclusions
A 10-session growth mindset family group intervention is feasible/effective in ethnic minority regions. While symptom improvement matched CBT, it had stronger family belief system effects, supporting its value as a mechanism-focused, scalable family intervention.
