The Unified Protocol for Use with Adolescents with or at Risk for Serious Mental Illness
Youths with or at high risk for serious mental illness (SMI; i.e., psychotic or bipolar disorders) have heterogeneous psychiatric symptoms, including significant overlap with more common depressive and anxiety disorders. There are also heterogeneous illness trajectories, as some youth go on to develop chronic and debilitating SMIs while a large proportion have symptoms that remit or remain relatively milder. This chapter presents the rationale for using the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A) as a first-line, transdiagnostic, cognitive-behavioral treatment for youth with early SMI symptoms. This treatment is delivered in a group format including parents in an effort to reduce stigma, increase social support, and improve skill acquisition. Preliminary feasibility and efficacy data are presented as well as a case vignette. Recommendations are offered on how to deliver this treatment and troubleshoot common difficulties.