Try a family-centered program designed to reduce depression and intimate partner violence

What is this trial?

This trial is testing a new family-based program called MILAP that aims to help young married women in Nepal who are experiencing depression and intimate partner violence. Instead of asking women to leave their relationships, the program works with their husbands and mothers-in-law to create a safer, more supportive family environment. The study will compare this new approach to standard care and counseling services already available.

Many young women in Nepal experience both intimate partner violence and depression, but they may not be able or willing to leave their relationships due to cultural and economic factors. Current treatments like counseling work best for women who have already left their partners, leaving a major gap in care for women who want to stay but need their family situation to improve.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are a married woman between 15 and 24 years old
you live with your husband and his mother in the same household
you have experienced physical, sexual, or controlling abuse from your partner in the last 12 months
you speak Maithili or Nepali
you want to stay in your current relationship and family

You likely don't qualify if…

you are currently pregnant
you have experienced severe intimate partner violence that required hospitalization in the past year
you have significant cognitive problems or disabilities that would make participation difficult
you have severe alcohol dependence

What participation looks like

If you join this study, you and your husband and mother-in-law would be part of either the new MILAP family program or the standard care group. The MILAP program involves structured sessions with your family to improve communication, safety, and emotional health. All participants also receive access to counseling, safety planning, legal support, and other services through local women's centers and hospitals as needed.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 11, 2026 · Not medical advice

Key details

Sponsor

Possible

Collaborators

University of California, San Francisco, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Enrollment target

~900 participants

Started

April 2025

Primary completion

January 2027

Age range

15 Years – 24 Years

Last updated on clinicaltrials.gov in April 2026.

Contact the research team directly

Reach out to the team running this trial. Response times vary — some teams are faster than others.

Central contact

Bibhav Acharya, MD

University of California, San Francisco

Interested in joining?

Tell us you're interested and we'll help connect you with the research team. We'll walk you through what to expect first — no email needed to get started.

Family-based support to reduce depression and violence in young married women

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(1 site)