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Published Online: 26 August 2020

Preliminary Findings for Group Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy for Affective Disorders Among Youths

Daniel F. Gros, Ph.D. [email protected], Colleen Merrifield, Ph.D., Jennifer Hewitt, Ph.D., Ashleigh Elcock, B.A., Karen Rowa, Ph.D., and Randi E. McCabe, Ph.D.Authors Info & Affiliations
Publication: American Journal of Psychotherapy
Volume 74, Number 1
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20200003
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Abstract

Objective:

The literature on transdiagnostic psychotherapy among youths is limited. Group transdiagnostic behavior therapy (TBT) has been shown to be effective for adults with affective disorders and may contain beneficial features for youths (e.g., behavioral focus, group format, ease of dissemination, and diversity of targeted diagnoses). This study aimed to investigate group TBT among youths in Canada to determine its feasibility and efficacy.

Methods:

Twenty participants (ages 16–19) diagnosed as having a principal anxiety disorder completed 12 sessions of group TBT. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and transdiagnostic impairment were assessed pre- and posttreatment.

Results:

Participants demonstrated significant improvements on measures of anxiety (general, cognitive, and somatic) and stress, with moderate effect sizes. Findings for symptoms of depression and transdiagnostic impairment were unreliable, with small effect sizes.

Conclusions:

These findings provide preliminary support for the use of group TBT among youths with anxiety disorders. Future research should incorporate comparison groups and larger samples.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to American Journal of Psychotherapy
Go to American Journal of Psychotherapy
American Journal of Psychotherapy
Volume 74 • Number 1 • March 01, 2021
Pages: 36 - 39
PubMed: 32842762

History

Received: 30 January 2020
Revision received: 17 June 2020
Accepted: 6 July 2020
Published online: 26 August 2020
Published in print: March 01, 2021

Keywords

  1. Group Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy
  2. youth
  3. anxiety
  4. depression

Authors

Affiliations

Daniel F. Gros, Ph.D. [email protected]
Mental Health Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Gros); Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic (Merrifield, Hewitt, Elcock, Rowa, McCabe), and Mood Disorders Outpatient Clinic (Merrifield), St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton (Merrifield, Hewitt, Rowa, McCabe).
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Colleen Merrifield, Ph.D.
Mental Health Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Gros); Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic (Merrifield, Hewitt, Elcock, Rowa, McCabe), and Mood Disorders Outpatient Clinic (Merrifield), St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton (Merrifield, Hewitt, Rowa, McCabe).
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Jennifer Hewitt, Ph.D.
Mental Health Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Gros); Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic (Merrifield, Hewitt, Elcock, Rowa, McCabe), and Mood Disorders Outpatient Clinic (Merrifield), St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton (Merrifield, Hewitt, Rowa, McCabe).
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Ashleigh Elcock, B.A.
Mental Health Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Gros); Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic (Merrifield, Hewitt, Elcock, Rowa, McCabe), and Mood Disorders Outpatient Clinic (Merrifield), St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton (Merrifield, Hewitt, Rowa, McCabe).
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Karen Rowa, Ph.D.
Mental Health Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Gros); Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic (Merrifield, Hewitt, Elcock, Rowa, McCabe), and Mood Disorders Outpatient Clinic (Merrifield), St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton (Merrifield, Hewitt, Rowa, McCabe).
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Randi E. McCabe, Ph.D.
Mental Health Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (Gros); Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic (Merrifield, Hewitt, Elcock, Rowa, McCabe), and Mood Disorders Outpatient Clinic (Merrifield), St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton (Merrifield, Hewitt, Rowa, McCabe).
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Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. Gros ([email protected]).

Competing Interests

The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Funding Information

This study was supported by Department of Veteran Affairs Clinical Sciences Research and Development Career Development Award CX-000845 (principal investigator: Dr. Gros).

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