Intervention strategies and clinical process in transdiagnostic cognitive–behavioral therapy.
Abstract
A number of evidence-based cognitive-behavioral treatments (CBT) have been developed to target specific anxiety and mood disorders. Many in the field of psychotherapy have focused their attention toward the identification and consolidation of core treatment principles and mechanisms of change that cut across different treatment approaches and diagnostic categories. This focus has led to the development of transdiagnostic CBT treatments that aim to integrate common principles of human functioning and change strategies found in existing evidence-based CBT interventions for various disorders. The Unified Protocol (UP) is a transdiagnostic emotion-focused CBT treatment designed to be applicable to disorders that involve a prominent emotional component. This article describes three core intervention strategies typically used to facilitate clinical process (e.g., new learning) in the UP: (a) increasing emotional awareness, (b) encouraging repeated practice, and (c) providing opportunities for corrective experiences. Clinical examples, along with a brief discussion of the theoretical basis and research support for each of these intervention strategies, are provided.
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Single case experimental design studies found that mindfulness, cognitive flexibility, and anxiety sensitivity were associated with outcome.
“Single case experimental design studies found that mindfulness, cognitive flexibility, and anxiety sensitivity were associated with outcome (Boswell, 2013; Boswell etal., 2014; Brake etal., 2016).”
From Transdiagnostic Processes as Mediators of Change in an Internet-Delivered Intervention Based on the Unified Protocol (2022) · cites this paper as Boswell, 2013
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- Authors
- Boswell, J. F.
- Affiliations
- Boston University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Boswell, James F.
- ORCID
- Boswell, James F.
- Venue
- Psychotherapy
- Published
- 2013
- Volume
- 50
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 381-386
- ISSN
- 0033-3204 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1536
- OpenAlex
- W2010676380
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 3.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychotherapy (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Keywords
- transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy, Unified Protocol, clinical process, emotional awareness, repeated practice, corrective experiences, mechanisms of change, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, emotion regulation
- MeSH terms
- Affect, Anxiety Disorders, Awareness, Major Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Major, Female, Humans, Male, Phobic Disorders, Practice, Psychological, Psychotherapeutic Processes, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mood Disorders, Young Adult, Emotional Intelligence
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