Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Emotional Disorders: A Group Case Study

Abstract

A recent shift in the conceptualization of both depressive and anxiety disorders supports the notion that these disorders may best fall under a single classification of “emotional disorders.” This understanding has resulted in the development of various transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy (tCBT) protocols to address underlying core pathology shared by emotional disorders. While there is evidence to suggest tCBT is effective in reducing co-occurring depression, research into the efficacy of face-to-face tCBT has generally focused on the delivery of tCBT to individuals with predominantly anxiety diagnoses. The current case study aims to expand the research by examining the impact of group tCBT for individuals with a principal depressive diagnosis. A session-by-session explanation of a 12-week group tCBT protocol designed to treat a heterogeneous group of individuals diagnosed with an emotional disorder is provided in detail and accompanied by a quantitative case study of a recently delivered treatment group. The case study demonstrates the feasibility and pragmatic application of the group tCBT treatment approach. Data presented support the continued research of transdiagnostic interventions for the treatment of emotional disorders and justify future randomized controlled trials to further evaluate the presented intervention.