The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A) Adapted as a School-Based Anxiety and Depression Prevention Program: An Initial Cluster Randomized Wait-List-Controlled Trial

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is prevalent within the general population. Studies have shown that stress and anxiety co-exist with IBS. Young Taiwanese women commonly exhibit physical and psychological health problems caused by academic stress. The purpose of our current study was to evaluate the efficacy of short-term Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) on female nursing students in practicum. We performed a cluster randomized controlled trial comprised of 160 participants who met the inclusion criteria, which were divided into three groups: (1) ICBT, (2) expressive writing (EW), and (3) wait-list control. Treatment interventions lasted for 6 weeks. Levels of anxiety, depression, and IBS symptoms were assessed at four time points, baseline assessment at T0, 2 weeks after T0 (T1), at the end of practicum (T2), and at 3-month follow-up (T3). The results showed that ICBT and EW groups exhibited a significant, yet small, reduction in anxiety and depression at T2 and T3 compared to the wait-list control group. The EW group exhibited significantly greater reduction in anxiety and depression compared to the ICBT group at T2. However, the ICBT group demonstrated greater improvements in alleviating anxiety and depression at T3 compared to the EW group. These data indicate that ICBT and EW groups exhibited small effects on anxiety and depression reduction at T2 and T3 compared to the wait-list control group, with no effects on IBS symptoms in young Taiwanese female nursing students.

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Universal School-Based Depression Prevention ‘Op Volle Kracht’: a Longitudinal Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology ◽

10.1007/s10802-015-0080-1 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 44 (5) ◽

pp. 949-961 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Yuli R. Tak ◽

Anna Lichtwarck-Aschoff ◽

Jane E. Gillham ◽

Rinka M. P. Van Zundert ◽

Rutger C. M. E. Engels

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Depression Prevention ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

School Based ◽

Cluster Randomized

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Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Behavior Therapy ◽

10.1016/j.beth.2012.01.001 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 43 (3) ◽

pp. 666-678 ◽

Cited By ~ 335

Author(s):

Todd J. Farchione ◽

Christopher P. Fairholme ◽

Kristen K. Ellard ◽

Christina L. Boisseau ◽

Johanna Thompson-Hollands ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Emotional Disorders ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Transdiagnostic Treatment ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Unified Protocol

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A Pilot Study of the Efficacy of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Treating Posttraumatic Psychopathology: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal of Traumatic Stress ◽

10.1002/jts.22650 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Meaghan L. O'Donnell ◽

Winnie Lau ◽

Katherine Chisholm ◽

James Agathos ◽

Jonathon Little ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Emotional Disorders ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Transdiagnostic Treatment ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Unified Protocol

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Emotion regulation as the mediator of reductions in anxiety and depression in the Unified Protocol (UP) for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders: double-blind randomized clinical trial

Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy ◽

10.1590/2237-6089-2018-0074 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 41 (3) ◽

pp. 227-236

Author(s):

Sahel Khakpoor ◽

Omid Saed ◽

Alireza Armani Kian

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trial ◽

Emotion Regulation ◽

Randomized Clinical Trial ◽

Emotional Disorders ◽

Beck Anxiety Inventory ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Double Blind ◽

Transdiagnostic Treatment ◽

Unified Protocol ◽

Goal Directed Behavior

Abstract Objective: An important subject in evaluation of the efficacy of treatments is to examine how the intervention is effective and to identify the consequences of that treatment. In this regard, the current study investigates the role of emotion regulation as the mediator of the treatment outcomes of therapy using the Unified Protocol (UP) for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders. Method: This article describes a double-blind randomized clinical trial. A sample of 26 individuals was selected based on cut-off scores for the Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory and their final diagnoses were confirmed with the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV (ADIS-IV). The sample was randomly divided into two groups: control and treatment (13 patients each). The treatment group received 20 one-hour UP sessions. The Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale were administered at two stages, pre-treatment and post-treatment. Results: The UP reduced anxiety and depression in patients through improvement in emotion regulation. Furthermore, the results showed that the difficulty engaging in goal-directed behavior and non-acceptance of emotional response subscales were capable of predicting 62% of variance in anxiety scores. In turn, two subscales, difficulty engaging in goal-directed behavior and lack of emotional clarity, predicted 72% of variance in depression scores. Conclusion: Emotion regulation can be considered as a potential mediating factor and as predictive of outcomes of transdiagnostic treatment based on the UP. Clinical trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT2017072335245N1.

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Implementation, efficacy and cost effectiveness of the unified protocol in a blended format for the transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders: a study protocol for a multicentre, randomised, superiority controlled trial in the Spanish National Health System

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054286 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. e054286

Author(s):

J Osma ◽

Laura Martínez-García ◽

Óscar Peris-Baquero ◽

María Vicenta Navarro-Haro ◽

Alberto González-Pérez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emotional Disorders ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

National Health System ◽

Research Committee ◽

Treatment As Usual ◽

Adequate Treatment ◽

Transdiagnostic Treatment ◽

Face To Face ◽

Unified Protocol ◽

Ethics Research

IntroductionEmotional disorders (EDs) have become the most prevalent psychological disorders in the general population, which has boosted the economic burden associated with their management. Approximately half of the individuals do not receive adequate treatment. Consequently, finding solutions to deliver cost-effective treatments for EDs has become a key goal of today’s clinical psychology. Blended treatments, a combination of face-to-face and online interventions, have emerged as a potential solution to the previous. The Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of EDs (UP) might serve this purpose, as it can be applied to a variety of disorders simultaneously and its manualised format makes it suitable for blended interventions.Methods and analysisThe study is a multicentre, randomised, superiority, clinical trial. Participants will be 310 individuals with a diagnosis of an ED. They will be randomised to a treatment as usual (individual cognitive behavioural therapy) or a UP condition in a blended format (face-to-face individual UP +online, app-based UP). Primary outcomes will be ED diagnostic criteria and depression and anxiety symptoms. Cost efficiency of the intervention, app usability, as well as opinion and confidence in the treatment will also be evaluated. Assessment points will include baseline and 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after UP treatment.Ethics and disseminationThe study has received approvals by the Ethics Research Committee of Navarra, Castellón, Euskadi, Castilla y León, Extremadura, Lleida and Aragón. The study is currently under an approval process by the Ethics Research Committees of all the remaining collaborating centres. Outcomes will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international conference meetings.Trial registration numberNCT04304911.

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