<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Background</bold>: Emotional disorders are highly prevalent among medical students, impacting their academic performance and general quality of life. It was shown that cognitive-behavioral and emotion regulation strategies are efficient for reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms in young people.<bold>Objective</bold>: This study aims to compare the efficiency of standard individual Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to a group intervention based on the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment (UPTT) of emotional disorders in two groups of medical students with similar baseline characteristics.<bold>Method</bold>: The sample of this research was composed of 64 medical students in total, of which 34 were included in the CBT group (Mage= 19.5 years, SD= 0.96) and 30 were included in the UPTT group (Mage= 19.4 years, SD= 0.93). The level of irrational beliefs and emotional distress were measured before and after the interventions, which were carried out by certificated psychotherapists.<bold>Results</bold>: Statistically significant differences were observed between pre-test and post-test in both groups. The level of irrational beliefs dropped after the CBT (M=62.91, SD=21.30, p&lt;0.05) and the UPTT intervention (M=67.33, SD=34.89, p&lt;0.05), respectively. Similarly, the profile of emotional distress changed after the CBT (M=77.62, SD=16.97, p&lt;0.05) and the UPTT intervention (M=68.77, SD=20.06, p&lt;0.01).<bold>Conclusion</bold>: Psychological interventions relying on cognitive-behavioral approaches, including standard, individual psychotherapy and a group intervention designed according to a transdiagnostic protocol, are suitable methods for reducing emotional disorders among medical students.</abstract>

Background: Emotional disorders are highly prevalent among medical students, impacting their academic performance and general quality of life. It was shown that cognitive-behavioral and emotion regulation strategies are efficient for reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms in young people.Objective: This study aims to compare the efficiency of standard individual Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to a group intervention based on the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment (UPTT) of emotional disorders in two groups of medical students with similar baseline characteristics.Method: The sample of this research was composed of 64 medical students in total, of which 34 were included in the CBT group (Mage= 19.5 years, SD= 0.96) and 30 were included in the UPTT group (Mage= 19.4 years, SD= 0.93). The level of irrational beliefs and emotional distress were measured before and after the interventions, which were carried out by certificated psychotherapists.Results: Statistically significant differences were observed between pre-test and post-test in both groups. The level of irrational beliefs dropped after the CBT (M=62.91, SD=21.30, p<0.05) and the UPTT intervention (M=67.33, SD=34.89, p<0.05), respectively. Similarly, the profile of emotional distress changed after the CBT (M=77.62, SD=16.97, p<0.05) and the UPTT intervention (M=68.77, SD=20.06, p<0.01).Conclusion: Psychological interventions relying on cognitive-behavioral approaches, including standard, individual psychotherapy and a group intervention designed according to a transdiagnostic protocol, are suitable methods for reducing emotional disorders among medical students.

Unified protocols for transdiagnostic treatment versus the Beckian’s approach of cognitive behavioral therapy for medical students with emotional disorders

George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures

Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine

University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Tirgu Mures

Acta Marisiensis - Seria Medica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Background: Emotional disorders are highly prevalent among medical students, impacting their academic performance and general quality of life. It was shown...

Unified protocols for transdiagnostic treatment versus the Beckian’s approach of cognitive behavioral therapy for medical students with emotional disorders

Published Online: Apr 13, 2022

Page range: 12 - 16

Received: Oct 15, 2021

Accepted: Jan 21, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amma-2022-0002

Keywords
cognitive-behavioral therapy, unified protocols, transdiagnostic, emotional disorders, medical students

© 2022 Cosmin O. Popa et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Unified protocols for transdiagnostic treatment versus the Beckian’s approach of cognitive behavioral therapy for medical students with emotional disorders

Published Online: Apr 13, 2022

Page range: 12 - 16

Received: Oct 15, 2021

Accepted: Jan 21, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amma-2022-0002

Keywordscognitive-behavioral therapy, unified protocols, transdiagnostic, emotional disorders, medical students

© 2022 Cosmin O. Popa et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
cognitive-behavioral therapy, unified protocols, transdiagnostic, emotional disorders, medical students