Manualized Cognitive-Behavioral Group Psychotherapy Protocol for Common Emotional Disorders: A Pilot Study

Abstract

The term ‘Common Emotional Disorders’ refers to a range of clinical conditions such as anxiety disorders, panic atacs, mild and moderate depressive states, sleep disorders, somatoform disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. The aim of the present article is to investigate the effectiveness of a specific group psychotherapy protocol for common emotional disorders. The outcome was evaluated in terms of reduction of anxiety-depressive symptoms. The aim is for this protocol to represent a first and valid intervention tool in the public context, in compliance with national indications in terms of cost-effectiveness. The protocol is structured in seven modules, each of which deals with the pivotal points of a psychotherapeutic pathway. It has a total duration of 6 months, and was applied to 61 adult patients afferent to a Mental Health Centre (45 F and 16 M). Results show a significant reduction in overall symptom severity and an extensive improvement in both depressive and anxious symptoms, as well as a self-perceived degree of improvement in subjective well-being. This protocol has the advantage of being able to group together patients with comorbid clinical conditions and symptom heterogeneity and offers them proven cognitive-behavioral treatment.