TRAbee: Internet-delivered transdiagnostic self-help treatments for anxiety and/or depression : Preliminary results from a full-factorial designed randomized control trial

• Traditional evidence-based psychological treatments are often diagnosis-specific, with treatment manuals being developed for specific diagnoses. This methodology has been criticized by some for not corresponding with the clinical reality of individual variability of symptoms, comorbitity with other psychiatric diagnoses and subclinical symptoms of other conditions. A possible way of adapting treatments to clinical reality is through transdiagnostic modes of treatment.Transdiagnostic treatments have the great advantage of potentially being suitable to a larger, and likely more representative population. Within psychological treatment there are two main transdiagnostic modalities; Unified Protocol and Affect Phobia Therapy. Unified Protocol is based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and is directed at emotional regulation as an important maintaining, transdiagnostic factor. Affect phobia therapy has its theoretical roots in modern Psychodynamic Theory and is focused on breaking unconscious maladaptive patterns. Unified Protocol and Affect Phobia Therapy have to our knowledge never been compared with each other, which this study aims to accomplish.The current study is a randomized controlled trial with a full factorial design. A total of 2400 participants will be divided into 12 different subgroups (2 * treatment duration [8 vs 16 weeks], 2 * discussion forum access [yes vs. no], and 3 * treatment [Unified Protocol vs. Affect Phobia Therapy vs. Waitlist).Inclusion criteria for the study are the following: Ability to read and write Swedish, access to smartphone or computer, minimum age of 18 years, and total GAD-7 ≥ 5 points and/or PHQ-9 ≥ 10 points.Exclusion criteria for the study are the following: Concurrent psychological treatment, initiation of or change in medication for anxiety or depression within the previous month, or self-reported severe depression (PHQ-9 total score ≥ 20) or suicidality (PHQ-9, item 9 > 2). Participants who report severe depression or suicidality will be excluded and recommended to seek other treatment.GAD7 and PHQ9 are the main outcome measures. Secondary measures are: Personality Inventory for DSM Short Form, Reflective Functioning Questionnaire 8, Negative Effects Questionnaire, and Brunnsviken Brief Quality of Life Scale.The study is still recruiting, but preliminary results will be available at the time of the SWErii conference.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

TRAbee

internet-delivered

transdiagnostic

self-help treatments

anxiety

depression

psykologi

Psychology

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)