Improvement in quality of life and sexual functioning in a comorbid sample after the unified protocol transdiagnostic group treatment.

Patients with multiple mental disorders often experience sexual dysfunction and reduced quality of life. The unified protocol (UP) is a transdiagnostic treatment for emotional disorders that has the potential to improve quality of life and sexual functioning via improved emotion management. The present study evaluates changes in quality of life and sexual functioning in a highly comorbid sample treated with the UP in a group format. Forty-eight patients were randomly assigned to either a UP active-treatment group or a medication-only control group. Treatment was delivered in 14 sessions over the course of 4 months. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory. Sexual functioning was assessed by the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX), and quality of life was assessed by the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF scale (WHOQOL-BREF). Quality of life, anxiety and depression all significantly improved among participants treated with the UP. Some improvement in sexual functioning was also noted. The results support the efficacy of the UP in improving quality of life and sexual functioning in comorbid patients.

The utilization of unified protocols in behavioral cognitive therapy in transdiagnostic group subjects: A clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The practicing of protocols based on behavioral cognitive therapy (CBT) have been frequently used in the last decades and adapted to better manage the necessities of patients and providers. OBJECTIVES: The goal is to build a treatment that is evidence-based - for that reason the unified protocol for multiple emotional disorders (transdiagnostics) have been utilized to simplify treatment - without losing scientific traits. The main goal of this study is to evaluate the unified protocol in groups of patients with depression and anxiety disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a pool of 48 subjects, divided in two groups, one was submitted to 12 intervention sessions of the unified protocol while the other was solely given medication. MINI, BAI and BDI were the instruments used at the beginning and at the end of treatment. RESULTS: The results were highly significant (p<0.001) in as much as with the improvement of anxiety and depressive disorders as it was in the group which was treated with the unified protocol compared with the group which was only given medication LIMITATIONS: Limitations of this study were the number of sample participants and the non-randomization of subjects in both groups. CONCLUSION: Group therapy has not been largely implemented though it is deemed very useful for treatments when the unified protocol is used in transdiagnostic patients. Not only does it allow for emotional stabilizing and socialization but it also enables subjects with an altruistic feeling amongst themselves.