A Transdiagnostic Approach in Psychodiagnosis: The Romanian Adaptation of the Process-Based Assessment Tool (PBAT)

Recent research has focused on psychological constructs that maintain psychopathology, along with the constraints of single-diagnosis protocols that have contributed to the expansion of process-based psychotherapy. Therefore, the Process-Based Assessment Tool (PBAT) was developed for identifying relevant psychological processes and facilitating personalized approaches. The aim of the present study was the adaptation of the PBAT for the Romanian population.

Participants (n = 637) encompassed a non-clinical and a clinical sample who filled in the PBAT. In addition, within the non-clinical group, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 were used for measuring the level of depression and anxiety, respectively.

The correlations between different PBAT processes were found in the expected direction, according to the valence of individual items. The outcomes of the network analyses revealed the centrality of several items within both samples. Also, the results of the Boruta analysis showed the predictive role of some processes in relation to anxiety and depression.

By resembling the findings of other PBAT validation studies, the present investigation demonstrated that the instrument can be reliably applied for exploring psychological processes correlated with adaptation and maladaptation within the Romanian population.