The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children (UP-C) in Portugal: Feasibility Study Results

Caiado, Brígida; Gois, Ana Carolina; Pereira, Bárbara; Canavarro, Maria Cristina; Moreira, Helena

doi:10.3390/ijerph19031782

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 54 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Evidence has revealed that internet-delivered interventions are as efficacious as traditional face-to-face treatments[ 44 , 45 ]. Transdiagnostic, emotion-focused cognitive-behavioral treatments, such as UP for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP), may be particularly well suited to address the challenges practicing psychologists and their patients face during the current COVID-19 pandemic[ 46 - 48 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of unified protocol as a transdiagnostic treatment for emotional disorders during COVID-19: An internet-delivered randomized controlled trial

Kou¹,

Yusufi²,

Nazari³

2022

WJCC

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been an emotionally challenging time, especially for young adults. It is associated with a substantial increase in the prevalence of mental health problems, negative symptoms, and stressful experiences that compromise well-being. In low-income countries, internet-delivered psychological services could have a remarkable impact on the population’s mental health, given the lack of mental health professionals. AIM To investigate the efficacy of internet-delivered cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT)-transdiagnostic intervention for adults with emotional disorders. METHODS In this internet-delivered randomized controlled trial, 102 students with an emotional disorder (mean age = 28.20 years, standard deviation = 5.07) were randomly allocated to receive unified protocol (UP) ( n = 51) or treatment as the usual intervention. Following a semi-structured clinical interview, participants completed an online survey including the Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale, Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and Emotional Style Questionnaire. RESULTS The participants showed a high degree of adherence. In total, 78% ( n = 40) of the experimental group participants completed the UP treatment. Considering the intention to treat procedure, the results of the analysis of covariance indicated that participants who received UP showed statistically significant changes in depression symptoms [Cohen’s d = -1.50 with 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.90 to -1.10], anxiety (Cohen’s d = -1.06 with 95%CI: -1.48 to -0.65), difficulties with emotion regulation (Cohen’s d = -0.33 with 95%CI: -0.7 to -0.06), positive affect (Cohen's d = 1.27 with 95%CI: 0.85 to 1.68), negative affect (Cohen’s d = -1.04 with 95%CI: -1.46 to -0.63), and healthy emotionality (Cohen’s d = 0.53 with 95%CI: 0.09 to 0.13) compared with the control group. CONCLUSION This study’s findings highlight the potential value of transdiagnostic internet-delivered programs for young adults with an emotional disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic, and expand the research examining emotional well-being improvements resulting from CBT-transdiagnostic interventions. The findings suggest that UP, which generally concentrates on reducing negative effects, can increase positive effects.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of unified protocol as a transdiagnostic treatment for emotional disorders during COVID-19: An internet-delivered randomized controlled trial

Kou¹,

Yusufi²,

Nazari³

2022

WJCC

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…[ 30 61 ] The findings also suggest that a sustained response to therapy over a three-month follow-up period may come about due to the UP-C, possibly focusing on trans-diagnosis elements, which promotes the knowledge of a range of feelings and symptoms manifestations. [ 49 ] Transdiagnostic interventions often focus on the central processes of emotional disorders, including identifying emotions, their tolerance, and management. [ 62 ]…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of unified protocol for trans diagnostic treatment in children with anxiety disorders: A randomized control trial

Ahadianfard,

Gharraee,

Aghebati

et al. 2023

Journal of Education and Health Promotion

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BACKGROUND: The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children (UP-C) is a theory-derived approach that can target the common underlying processes, such as the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes in emotional disorders in children aged 8–12 years. This study aimed to investigate UP-C's efficacy in treating children's anxiety disorders compared to cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this randomized control trial (RCT), with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up, 34 participants aged 8–12 with anxiety disorders were selected through the restricted randomization method and allocated to intervention (UP-C) or control (CBT) groups by random allocation rule. UP-C group consisted of 15 weekly individual sessions, and CBT included 16 weekly individual sessions. The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA) and The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED-71) were completed in the pre-test, post-test, and three-month follow-up stages. The data of participants were analyzed using the repeated measure analysis of variance. A P- value under. 05 was regarded as significant. RESULTS: Based on the repeated measures ANOVA, UP-C, and CBT significantly reduced anxiety symptoms (P = .002) and emotional suppression (P = .032). Moreover, UP-C and CBT significantly increased emotion regulation (P = .000) and cognitive reappraisal (P = .000). CONCLUSION: The individual UP-C can be effective as anxiety-oriented CBT in treating anxiety disorders. Also, in the three months follow-up, the UP-C's effects were more stable and progressive than the CBT.

show abstract

“…Finally, an N = 138 with four measurements is sufficient for growth mixture modeling [ 50 ]. With an attrition rate of 15% [ 19 , 51 ], we will have to recruit approximately 165 parents at T0 to achieve the final intended sample size.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of Emotion Detectives In-Out: a blended version of the unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders in Portuguese children

Moreira,

Skvarc,

Gomes-Pereira

et al. 2024

BMC Psychol

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Childhood emotional disorders (EDs; i.e., anxiety and depressive disorders) are currently a public health concern. Their high prevalence, long-term effects, and profound influence on the lives of children and families highlight the need to identify and treat these disorders as early and effectively as possible. This clinical trial will examine the efficacy of a blended version (i.e., combining face-to-face and online sessions into one treatment protocol) of the Unified Protocol for Children (the “Emotion Detectives In–Out” program). This program is a manualized cognitive-behavioral therapy for the transdiagnostic treatment of EDs in children aged 7 to 12 years that aims to reduce the intensity and frequency of strong and aversive emotional experiences by helping children learn how to confront those emotions and respond to them in more adaptive ways. Methods This study is designed as a multicenter equivalence randomized controlled parallel-group two-arm trial comparing the Emotion Detectives In–Out program with an evidenced-based group intervention for children with anxiety disorders (the Coping Cat program). Participants will be children aged between 7 and 12 years with an anxiety disorder or with clinically significant anxiety symptoms as well as one of their parents or a legal representative. A minimum sample size of 138 children (69 per group) is needed to test whether the efficacy of the proposed intervention is equivalent to that of the well-established Coping Cat intervention. Discussion We expect Emotion Detectives In–Out to be a feasible and efficacious alternative intervention for treating children's EDs by allowing for a greater increase in children's access to care. A blended format is expected to overcome common barriers to treatment (e.g., parents´ lack of time to attend regular sessions) and make the intervention more accessible to families. Trial registration The clinical trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT05747131, date assigned February 28, 2023).

show abstract

The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children (UP-C) in Portugal: Feasibility Study Results

Cited by 11 publications

References 54 publications

Application of unified protocol as a transdiagnostic treatment for emotional disorders during COVID-19: An internet-delivered randomized controlled trial

Application of unified protocol as a transdiagnostic treatment for emotional disorders during COVID-19: An internet-delivered randomized controlled trial

Effectiveness of unified protocol for trans diagnostic treatment in children with anxiety disorders: A randomized control trial

Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of Emotion Detectives In-Out: a blended version of the unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders in Portuguese children

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About