Unified Protocol vs Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Among Adolescents With PTSD.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant mental health challenges for children and adolescents, including increased posttraumatic stress symptoms.
• Existing treatments for adolescent PTSD, such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), need comparative evaluation with newer transdiagnostic approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of the Unified Protocol for the Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A) against TF-CBT in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adolescents.
• To assess treatment outcomes for both COVID-19-related and unrelated PTSD, as well as comorbid symptoms like anxiety and depression.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 93 adolescents diagnosed with PTSD.
• Participants were assigned to either UP-A (n=46) or TF-CBT (n=47) and assessed post-treatment and at 3, 6, and 9-month follow-ups.
• Utilized the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5) and a battery of outcome measures.

Main Results:

• Initially, UP-A showed greater reductions in emotion regulation difficulties and unexpressed anger compared to TF-CBT.
• At follow-up assessments (3, 6, and 9 months), UP-A demonstrated significantly superior outcomes compared to TF-CBT across multiple measures.
• Treatment effectiveness was maintained over time with UP-A, irrespective of whether the PTSD was COVID-19-related.

Conclusions:

• The UP-A is a highly effective treatment for adolescent PTSD, offering sustained benefits over TF-CBT.
• UP-A provides a robust therapeutic option for adolescents experiencing PTSD, including those with COVID-19-related trauma, demonstrating long-term efficacy.