Assessment of Acceptability and Initial Effectiveness of a Unified Protocol Prevention Program to Train Emotional Regulation Skills in Female Nursing Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Healthcare professionals, especially women, have shown increases in anxious-depressive symptoms as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of a Unified Protocol (UP) prevention program to provide emotional regulation skills to cope with stressful situations. The sample consisted of 27 nursing professionals (100% women; mean age: 45.67; SD = 7.71) working in a Spanish public hospital during COVID-19, who were randomized to an immediate treatment group (ITG, n = 13) or to a delayed treatment group (DTG, n = 14, which served as the waiting list control group and received the program 5 weeks after the ITG had received it). The program consisted of five-weekly, two-hour, UP-based group sessions. Variables related to emotional symptomatology, emotional regulation, personality, burnout, and perceived quality of life were evaluated at the following time points: pre- and post-intervention and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups. Statistically significant between-group differences showed lower emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment in favor of the ITG after the intervention. Regarding the effect over time for all participants who received the UP (n = 27), statistically significant reductions were observed in neuroticism, personal accomplishment, and subjective distress caused by traumatic events (-0.23 ≤ d ≤ -0.73). A statistically significant interaction "Time*Condition" was found in anxiety, with increases in the DTG. Participants showed high satisfaction with the UP. These findings show good acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of the UP to reduce the emotional impact of the pandemic in female nursing workers.

Application of the unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders in post-bariatric surgery patients: an effectiveness and feasibility study in group format

La obesidad es un grave problema de salud con implicaciones globales. La cirugía bariátrica (CB) es el tratamiento más utilizado y eficaz, pero hay pacientes que no pierden una cantidad sustancial de peso, hecho que se ha relacionado con la presencia de síntomas de alimentación emocional, ansiedad y depresión. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar la viabilidad y efectividad de una intervención basada en la regulación de las emociones denominada Protocolo Unificado (PU), aplicada en formato grupal a 6 pacientes post-CB que presentan trastornos/síntomas emocionales. Los resultados tras el tratamiento mostraron altas tasas de asistencia y satisfacción con el PU, y mejorías estadísticamente significativas para el neuroticismo, los síntomas de los trastornos alimentarios y la alimentación emocional. En el seguimiento a los 6 meses, se muestran reducciones significativas en los síntomas de ansiedad, neuroticismo, inadaptación y disregulación (d = 0.83-1.46) y el índice de masa corporal se mantuvo estable a lo largo del tiempo. Estos resultados preliminares son esperanzadores sobre la viabilidad y efectividad del PU para tratar la disregulación emocional en pacientes después de la CB.(AU)

Obesity is a serious health problem with global implications. Bariatric surgery (BS) is the most used and effective treatment, but there are patients who do not lose a substantial amount of weight, a fact that has been related with the presence of emotional eating, anxiety and depression symptoms. The aim of this study is to analyze the effectiveness and feasibility of an emotion regulation-based intervention called Unified Protocol (UP), applied in group format to 6 post-BS patients presenting emotional disorders/symptoms. Results at post-treatment shown high attendance rates and satisfaction with the UP scores and significant improvements on neuroticism, eating disorders symptoms and emotional eating. At 6-month follow-up we found significant reductions on anxiety symptoms, neuroticism, maladjustment and dysregulation (d = 0.83-1.46) and the body mass index remained stable over time. These preliminary results are encouraging about the effectiveness and feasibility of the UP to treat emotional dysregulation in patients after BS.(AU)

Feasibility and Clinical Usefulness of the Unified Protocol in Online Group Format for Bariatric Surgery Candidates: Study Protocol for a Multiple Baseline Experimental Design.

Obesity is currently becoming a serious global public health problem due to its high prevalence and continuous increase. This condition is associated with different physical and mental health problems. The presence of emotional disorders (anxiety, depression and related disorders) among candidates for bariatric surgery is very high and predicts worse physical and psychological results. The present study aims to explore the feasibility and clinical usefulness of the Unified Protocol, a transdiagnostic emotion regulation-based intervention, delivered in an online group format to patients with emotional disorder diagnosis or symptoms, who are waiting for bariatric surgery. We will conduct a pilot study with a repeated single-case experimental design (multiple baseline design) in a public mental health service. The sample will consist of 60 participants, who will be randomized to three baseline conditions: 8, 12 or 15 evaluation days before the intervention. Diagnostic criteria, symptomatology and body mass index are the primary outcome measures, and we will include affectivity, personality, quality of life, body image, eating behavior and surgical complications like secondary measures. An analysis of treatment satisfaction will be also performed. Assessment points will include pre-treatment, baseline, treatment, post-treatment, and follow-ups every three months until two years after post-treatment. The results obtained in this study may have important clinical, social and economic implications for public mental health.

What format of treatment do patients with emotional disorders prefer and why? Implications for public mental health settings and policies.

OBJECTIVE: We analyzed the preference of three psychological intervention formats-individual, group, and online-in a sample of 267 patients with a primary diagnosis of emotional disorder in Spanish public mental health settings. METHOD: We studied patients' preferences considering sociodemographic characteristics, diagnoses, history of psychological treatments, number of sessions, and satisfaction with past interventions. RESULTS: Most participants (85.4%) preferred psychological treatment in an individual format, 14.2% in group, and 0.4% online. When comparing the people who chose individual and group treatment, no demographic or clinical differences were found. The arguments against group format were the lack of privacy and expression difficulties. Regarding online format, these included being considered impersonal and ineffective. CONCLUSION: The rejection of group and online psychotherapy formats allows us to define the actions we should carry out in public mental health settings to improve the acceptance of more cost-effective therapy formats.

Efficacy of the unified protocol for the treatment of emotional disorders in the Spanish public mental health system using a group format: study protocol for a multicenter, randomized, non-inferiority controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Emotional disorders, which include both anxiety and depressive disorders, are the most prevalent psychological disorders according to recent epidemiological studies. Consequently, public costs associated with their treatment have become a matter of concern for public health systems, which face long waiting lists. Because of their high prevalence in the population, finding an effective treatment for emotional disorders has become a key goal of today's clinical psychology. The Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders might serve the aforementioned purpose, as it can be applied to a variety of disorders simultaneously and it can be easily performed in a group format. METHODS: The study is a multicenter, randomized, non-inferiority controlled clinical trial. Participants will be 220 individuals with emotional disorders, who are randomized to either a treatment as usual (individual cognitive behavioral therapy) or to a Unified Protocol condition in group format. Depression, anxiety, and diagnostic criteria are the primary outcome measures. Secondary measures include the assessment of positive and negative affect, anxiety control, personality traits, overall adjustment, and quality of life. An analysis of treatment satisfaction is also conducted. Assessment points include baseline, post-treatment, and three follow-ups at 3, 6, and 12 months. To control for missing data and possible biases, intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses will be performed. DISCUSSION: This is the first randomized, controlled clinical trial to test the effectiveness of a transdiagnostic intervention in a group format for the treatment of emotional disorders in public settings in Spain. Results obtained from this study may have important clinical, social, and economic implications for public mental health settings in Spain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ . Trial NCT03064477 (March 10, 2017). The trial is active and recruitment is ongoing. Recruitment is expected to finish by January 2020.