Unified Protocol in a Group Format for Improving Specific Symptoms of Emotional Disorders in the Spanish Public Health System.

BACKGROUND: The Unified Protocol (UP) for the transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders (EDs) has demonstrated its efficacy in improving dimensions shared by EDs, but there is insufficient evidence regarding the specific symptoms of each ED. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of the UP applied in a group format compared with individual Treatment as Usual (TAU), in improving specific ED symptoms. METHODS: The study sample (n=243) was a subset of participants of a randomized controlled trial conducted in the Spanish public health system. Specific symptoms assessed from pre-treatment to the six-month follow-up were: depressive, agoraphobic, generalized anxiety, panic, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Personality dimensions and quality of life were also measured. RESULTS: There were statistically significant changes after the UP in all the study variables (0.44 = d = 1.35). Changes in depressive symptoms, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and perceived quality of life were superior in the UP. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the efficacy of group UP for improving both transdiagnostic dimensions and specific ED symptoms, as well as quality of life, through the public health-care system.

Personality Disorders in the ICD-11: Spanish Validation of the PiCD and the SASPD in a Mixed Community and Clinical Sample.

The International Classification of Diseases-11th revision (ICD-11) classification of personality disorders is the official diagnostic system that is used all over the world, and it has recently been renewed. However, as yet very few data are available on its performance. This study examines the Personality Inventory for ICD-11 (PiCD), which assesses the personality domains of the system, and the Standardized Assessment of Severity of Personality Disorder (SASPD), which determines severity. The Spanish versions of the questionnaires were administered to a community (n = 2,522) and a clinical sample (n = 797). Internal consistency was adequate in the PiCD (α = .75 to .84) but less so in the SASPD (α = .64 and .73). Factor analyses suggested a unidimensional or bidimensional structure for severity, while revealing that the personality trait qualifiers are organized into four factors: negative affectivity, detachment, dissociality, and a bipolar domain of disinhibition-anankastia. The mutual relationships between traits and severity were analyzed, as well as the ability of the whole system to identify clinical subjects. Although further improvements are required, the results generally support the use of the PiCD and the SASPD and help substantiate the new ICD-11 taxonomy that underlies them.

Evaluation of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention With and Without Virtual Reality Dialectical Behavior Therapy® Mindfulness Skills Training for the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Primary Care: A Pilot Study.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a very prevalent disorder in primary care (PC). Most patients with GAD never seek treatment, and those who do seek treatment often drop out before completing treatment. Although it is an understudied treatment, Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) indicate preliminary efficacy for the treatment of GAD symptoms, but many patients with GAD present other associated symptoms (e.g., attention deficits) that complicate the treatment. Virtual Reality DBT® Mindfulness Skills learning has recently been developed to make learning mindfulness easier for patients with emotion dysregulation who have trouble concentrating. Virtual Reality (VR) might serve as a visual guide for practicing mindfulness as it gives patients the illusion of "being there" in the 3D computer generated world. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of two MBIs (a MBI in a group setting alone and the same MBI plus 10 min VR DBT® Mindfulness skills training) to reduce GAD symptoms. A secondary aim was to explore the effect in depression, emotion regulation, mindfulness, and interoceptive awareness. Other exploratory aims regarding the use of VR DBT® Mindfulness skills were also carried out. The sample was composed of 42 patients (roughly half in each group) with GAD attending PC visits. After treatment, both groups of patients showed significant improvements in General Anxiety Disorder measured by the GAD-7 using mixed regression models [MBI alone (B = -5.70; p < 0.001; d = -1.36), MBI+VR DBT® Mindfulness skills (B = -4.38; p < 0.001; d = -1.33)]. Both groups also showed significant improvements in anxiety, depression, difficulties of emotion regulation and several aspects of mindfulness and interoceptive awareness. Patients in the group that received additional 10 min VR DBT Mindfulness Skills training were significantly more adherent to the treatment than those receiving only standard MBI (100% completion rate in MBI + VR vs. 70% completion rate in MBI alone; Fisher = 0.020). Although randomized controlled studies with larger samples are needed, this pilot study shows preliminary effectiveness of MBI to treat GAD, and preliminary evidence that adjunctive VR DBT® Mindfulness Skills may reduce dropouts.

Predictors of Adoption and Reach Following Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Training™.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment for borderline personality disorder. The DBT Intensive Training™ is widely used to train community clinicians to deliver DBT, but little is known about its effectiveness. This study prospectively evaluated predictors of adoption and reach of DBT among 52 community teams (212 clinicians) after DBT Intensive Training™. Pre-post training questionnaires were completed by trainees and a follow-up survey by team leaders approximately 8 months later. Overall, 75% of teams adopted all DBT modes and delivered DBT to an average of 118 clients. Lower training and program needs, fewer bachelor's-level clinicians, and greater prior DBT experience predicted adoption of more DBT modes. More prior DBT experience, smaller team size, more negative team functioning, and staff with lower job satisfaction, growth, efficacy, and influence predicted greater DBT reach. DBT Intensive Training™ appears effective in promoting DBT adoption and reach in routine clinical practice settings.

Inhaled loxapine for agitation in patients with personality disorder: an initial approach.

Inhaled Loxapine (IL) has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of agitation in schizophrenic and bipolar patients, although data in patients with Personality Disorder (PD) are scarce. To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of IL in the treatment of agitation in PD, data from 41 patients who presented at our unit with acute agitation and were treated with 9.1 mg of IL were collected retrospectively. The results showed that IL significantly decreased agitation within 10 minutes and its effect was greater at 20 minutes (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-excited component: from 22.78 ±â€¯4.39 at baseline to 11.14 ±â€¯4.17 at 20 minutes; p < 0.001; Agitation and Calmness Evaluation Scale: from 1.80 ±â€¯0.49 at baseline to 4.53 ±â€¯1.05 at 20 minutes; p < 0.01) without any severe adverse reactions registered. IL led to fast, safe and well-tolerated control of agitation in patients with PD.

Meditation experts try Virtual Reality Mindfulness: A pilot study evaluation of the feasibility and acceptability of Virtual Reality to facilitate mindfulness practice in people attending a Mindfulness conference.

Regular mindfulness practice benefits people both mentally and physically, but many populations who could benefit do not practice mindfulness. Virtual Reality (VR) is a new technology that helps capture participants' attention and gives users the illusion of "being there" in the 3D computer generated environment, facilitating sense of presence. By limiting distractions from the real world, increasing sense of presence and giving people an interesting place to go to practice mindfulness, Virtual Reality may facilitate mindfulness practice. Traditional Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT®) mindfulness skills training was specifically designed for clinical treatment of people who have trouble focusing attention, however severe patients often show difficulties or lack of motivation to practice mindfulness during the training. The present pilot study explored whether a sample of mindfulness experts would find useful and recommend a new VR Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT®) mindfulness skills training technique and whether they would show any benefit. Forty four participants attending a mindfulness conference put on an Oculus Rift DK2 Virtual Reality helmet and floated down a calm 3D computer generated virtual river while listening to digitized DBT® mindfulness skills training instructions. On subjective questionnaires completed by the participants before and after the VR DBT® mindfulness skills training session, participants reported increases/improvements in state of mindfulness, and reductions in negative emotional states. After VR, participants reported significantly less sadness, anger, and anxiety, and reported being significantly more relaxed. Participants reported a moderate to strong illusion of going inside the 3D computer generated world (i.e., moderate to high "presence" in VR) and showed high acceptance of VR as a technique to practice mindfulness. These results show encouraging preliminary evidence of the feasibility and acceptability of using VR to practice mindfulness based on clinical expert feedback. VR is a technology with potential to increase computerized dissemination of DBT® skills training modules. Future research is warranted.

The Use of Virtual Reality Facilitates Dialectical Behavior Therapy® "Observing Sounds and Visuals" Mindfulness Skills Training Exercises for a Latino Patient with Severe Burns: A Case Study.

Sustaining a burn injury increases an individual's risk of developing psychological problems such as generalized anxiety, negative emotions, depression, acute stress disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite the growing use of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy® (DBT®) by clinical psychologists, to date, there are no published studies using standard DBT® or DBT® skills learning for severe burn patients. The current study explored the feasibility and clinical potential of using Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) enhanced DBT® mindfulness skills training to reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions of a patient with severe burn injuries. The participant was a hospitalized (in house) 21-year-old Spanish speaking Latino male patient being treated for a large (>35% TBSA) severe flame burn injury. Methods: The patient looked into a pair of Oculus Rift DK2 virtual reality goggles to perceive the computer-generated virtual reality illusion of floating down a river, with rocks, boulders, trees, mountains, and clouds, while listening to DBT® mindfulness training audios during 4 VR sessions over a 1 month period. Study measures were administered before and after each VR session. Results: As predicted, the patient reported increased positive emotions and decreased negative emotions. The patient also accepted the VR mindfulness treatment technique. He reported the sessions helped him become more comfortable with his emotions and he wanted to keep using mindfulness after returning home. Conclusions: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is an empirically validated treatment approach that has proved effective with non-burn patient populations for treating many of the psychological problems experienced by severe burn patients. The current case study explored for the first time, the use of immersive virtual reality enhanced DBT® mindfulness skills training with a burn patient. The patient reported reductions in negative emotions and increases in positive emotions, after VR DBT® mindfulness skills training. Immersive Virtual Reality is becoming widely available to mainstream consumers, and thus has the potential to make this treatment available to a much wider number of patient populations, including severe burn patients. Additional development, and controlled studies are needed.

The role of emotion regulation strategies and dissociation in non-suicidal self-injury for women with borderline personality disorder and comorbid eating disorder.

Different dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies are observed in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and comorbid eating disorders (EDs) who report non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship of two well-defined emotion regulation strategies (i.e. expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal) and dissociation with NSSI. The participants were sixty-eight women diagnosed with BPD and comorbid ED. A cross-sectional research design was used, and clinical interviews and self-report questionnaires were administered to collect data. Multiple regression was conducted to analyze the relationship of two emotion regulation strategies and dissociation with NSSI. According to the results, for low cognitive reappraisal scores, an increase in dissociation leads to an increase in NSSI; however, as cognitive reappraisal increases, higher dissociation is associated with fewer NSSI. When expressive suppression is low, an increase in cognitive reappraisal is associated with a decrease in NSSI; however, as suppression increases, a higher cognitive reappraisal has less effect on decreasing NSSI. These findings indicate that cognitive reappraisal reduces the harmful effects that dissociation has on NSSI, and that expressive suppression interferes with the beneficial effects of cognitive reappraisal on NSSI. Therefore, targeting expressive suppression before cognitive reappraisal is conducted may enhance treatment outcomes for patients with BPD and comorbid ED.