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Targeting Common Factors Across Anxiety and Depression Using the Unified Protocol for the Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents

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Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Clinical approaches to mood and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents have historically been confined to either diagnosis- [e.g., for obsessive–compulsive disorder vs. generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), etc.] or domain-specific (e.g., for anxiety disorders vs. depressive disorders) treatments. However, as conceptualizations of mental illness shift towards a more dimensional model [e.g., the recent Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) from the National Institutes of Health], transdiagnostic treatments, such as the unified protocol for the treatment of emotional disorders in adolescents (UP-A; Ehrenreich et al. in Child Fam Behav Ther 31(1):20–37, 2008), are gaining support in the empirical literature. This paper reviews the common treatment targets across three emotional disorders commonly found in adolescence: GAD, social anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder. In particular, similarities and differences across potential treatment mechanisms, including cognitive and information processing deficits, problem-solving difficulties, and avoidance strategies are examined. Finally, the case of 17-year-old “Andrea” is presented to demonstrate how transdiagnostic approaches like the UP-A can be effective in treating a range of emotional disorders in youth.

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Notes

  1. All relevant demographic and treatment details for this case have been altered to protect confidentiality.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA

    Ilana Seager & Jill Ehrenreich-May

  2. Center for Psychological Studies, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

    Amelia M. Rowley

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  1. Ilana Seager
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  2. Amelia M. Rowley
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  3. Jill Ehrenreich-May
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Correspondence to Jill Ehrenreich-May.

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Seager, I., Rowley, A.M. & Ehrenreich-May, J. Targeting Common Factors Across Anxiety and Depression Using the Unified Protocol for the Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents. J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther 32, 67–83 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-014-0185-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-014-0185-4

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