Unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders: a randomized controlled trial.
This study further evaluates the efficacy of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP). A diagnostically heterogeneous clinical sample of 37 patients with a principal anxiety disorder diagnosis was enrolled in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving up to 18 sessions of treatment and a 6-month follow-up period. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either immediate treatment with the UP (n=26) or delayed treatment, following a 16-week wait-list control period (WLC; n=11). The UP resulted in significant improvement on measures of clinical severity, general symptoms of depression and anxiety, levels of negative and positive affect, and a measure of symptom interference in daily functioning across diagnoses. In comparison, participants in the WLC condition exhibited little to no change following the 16-week wait-list period. The effects of UP treatment were maintained over the 6-month follow-up period. Results from this RCT provide additional evidence for the efficacy of the UP in the treatment of anxiety and comorbid depressive disorders, and provide additional support for a transdiagnostic approach to the treatment of emotional disorders.
Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, Department of Psychology, Boston University, 648 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA. tfarchio@bu.edu
Todd J
TJ
Farchione
Christopher P
CP
Fairholme
Kristen K
KK
Ellard
Christina L
CL
Boisseau
Johanna
J
Thompson-Hollands
Jenna R
JR
Carl
Matthew W
MW
Gallagher
David H
DH
Barlow
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014850:Waiting Lists