Kate H Bentley1, Shannon Sauer-Zavala2, Kimberly T Stevens3, Jason J Washburn4. 1. Depression Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States of America. Electronic address: kbentley@mgh.harvard.edu. 2. Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, Boston University, United States of America. 3. Institute of Living Anxiety Disorders Center, United States of America; AMITA Health Behavioral Medicine, United States of America. 4. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, United States of America; AMITA Health Behavioral Medicine, United States of America.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Barriers to implementing evidence-based psychological treatments for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in busy hospital settings exist. Transdiagnostic interventions may serve to facilitate training in evidence-based treatment and more efficiently treat individuals with multiple psychiatric comorbidities. We describe the rationale for, process of, and initial data from implementing the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP) on an inpatient unit for adults with suicidal thoughts and behaviors and affective disorders. METHOD: We analyzed clinical intake and outcome data from a subsample of patients admitted during the six months before and six months after UP implementation (n = 133 and n = 61, respectively), and available acceptability and fidelity data from the month following UP implementation. RESULTS: Patients improved significantly over the course of inpatient treatment before and after UP implementation. Effects for depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, and emotion regulation were similar before and after UP implementation. Patients generally reported high acceptability of the UP and clinician fidelity to the protocol was variable during the month following UP implementation. CONCLUSIONS: The UP may be a promising evidence-based intervention for inpatient settings that treat individuals with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Well-controlled, randomized trials are needed to determine efficacy, particularly regarding suicidal behavior after discharge.
OBJECTIVE: Barriers to implementing evidence-based psychological treatments for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in busy hospital settings exist. Transdiagnostic interventions may serve to facilitate training in evidence-based treatment and more efficiently treat individuals with multiple psychiatric comorbidities. We describe the rationale for, process of, and initial data from implementing the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP) on an inpatient unit for adults with suicidal thoughts and behaviors and affective disorders. METHOD: We analyzed clinical intake and outcome data from a subsample of patients admitted during the six months before and six months after UP implementation (n = 133 and n = 61, respectively), and available acceptability and fidelity data from the month following UP implementation. RESULTS:Patients improved significantly over the course of inpatient treatment before and after UP implementation. Effects for depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, and emotion regulation were similar before and after UP implementation. Patients generally reported high acceptability of the UP and clinician fidelity to the protocol was variable during the month following UP implementation. CONCLUSIONS: The UP may be a promising evidence-based intervention for inpatient settings that treat individuals with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Well-controlled, randomized trials are needed to determine efficacy, particularly regarding suicidal behavior after discharge.
Authors: Daniel M Low; Kelly L Zuromski; Daniel Kessler; Satrajit S Ghosh; Matthew Nock; Walter Dempsey Journal: Proc Conf Empir Methods Nat Lang Process Date: 2021-11