An internet-based intervention for adjustment disorder (TAO): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

BackgroundAdjustment Disorder (AjD) is a common and disabling mental health problem. The lack of research on this disorder has led to the absence of evidence-based interventions for its treatment. Moreover, because the available data indicate that a high percentage of people with mental illness are not treated, it is necessary to develop new ways to provide psychological assistance. The present study describes a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) aimed at assessing the effectiveness and acceptance of a linear internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) intervention for AjD.MethodsA two-armed RCT was designed to compare an intervention group to a waiting list control group. Participants from the intervention group will receive TAO, an internet-based program for AjD composed of seven modules. TAO combines CBT and Positive Psychology strategies in order to provide patients with complete support, reducing their clinical symptoms and enhancing their capacity to overcome everyday adversity. Participants will also receive short weekly telephone support. Participants in the control group will be assessed before and after a seven-week waiting period, and then they will be offered the same intervention. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the 2 groups. Measurements will be taken at five different moments: baseline, post-intervention, and three follow-up periods (3-, 6- and 12-month). BDI-II and BAI will be used as primary outcome measures. Secondary outcomes will be symptoms of AjD, posttraumatic growth, positive and negative affect, and quality of life.DiscussionThe development of ICBT programs like TAO responds to a need for evidence-based interventions that can reach most of the people who need them, reducing the burden and cost of mental disorders. More specifically, TAO targets AjD and will entail a step forward in the treatment of this prevalent but under-researched disorder. Finally, it should be noted that this is the first RCT focusing on an internet-based intervention for AjD in the Spanish population.Trial registrationClinicalTrial.gov: NCT02758418. Trial registration date 2 May 2016.

Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS): psychometric properties of the online Spanish version in a clinical sample with emotional disorders

“…Sample 1 included participants with a diagnosis of anxiety and/or depressive disorder that received a transdiagnostic Internet-based protocol for emotional disorders; sample 2 included participants with a diagnosis of adjustment disorder that participated in an Internet-based protocol for the treatment of these disorders; and sample 3 included participants with a diagnosis of depression that received a brief online depression protocol. A full description of the treatments can be found elsewhere [35][36][37]. All the participants were assessed with a structured diagnostic interview.…”

Risk factors of ICD-11 adjustment disorder in the Lithuanian general population exposed to life stressors

“…The most recent studies on ICD-11 adjustment disorder are generally focused on the validation of the symptom structure (Glaesmer, Romppel, Brahler, Hinz, & Maercker, 2015;Kazlauskas, Gegieckaite, Eimontas, Zelviene, & Maercker, 2018;Lorenz, Hyland, Perkonigg, & Maercker, 2017;Lorenz, Perkonigg, & Maercker, 2018a;Zelviene, Kazlauskas, Eimontas, & Maercker, 2017), development of assessment instruments (Bachem, Perkonigg, Stein, & Maercker, 2016;Ben-Ezra, Mahat-Shamir, Lorenz, Lavenda, & Maercker, 2018), development of interventions Eimontas, Rimsaite, Gegieckaite, Zelviene, & Kazlauskas, 2018;Maercker, Bachem, Lorenz, Moser, & Berger, 2015;Moser, Bachem, Berger, & Maercker, 2019;Rachyla et al, 2018), exploring the symptom change (Lorenz, Perkonigg, & Maercker, 2018b;O'Donnell et al, 2016), and possible predictors of ICD-11 adjustment disorder (Lorenz et al, 2018b;Mahat-Shamir et al, 2017;Ring et al, 2018).…”

The positive affect regulation in an online transdiagnostic protocol for emotional disorders

“…In relation to the above-mentioned approaches and findings, the research group LabPsiTec (Universitat Jaume I) developed a manualized protocol for ED based on the classic perspectives derived from the UP and some strategies from Marsha Linehan's protocol . This protocol was first tested in terms of feasibility in a series of cases, showing that the intervention was feasible, not only for reducing depression, anxiety, and NA, but also for increasing PA and the orientation towards enjoyment (Mira et al, 2018).…”

“…Mira A., Enrique A., Díaz-García A., Rachyla I., González-Robles A., Bretón-López J., and Botella C. (2018). Feasibility of a positive clinical psychology intervention for depressive symptoms: A series of cases.…”