Research code: IRCT20230627058601N1
Ethics code: IR.IAU.SEMNAN.REC.1402.005
Clinical trials code: 12852825298208994018162750635
Semnan Islamic Azad University , maryam.izadi.psy@gmail.com
Abstract: (14 Views)
Abstract:
Background: Suicide is a phenomenon which has plagued humans life throughout history from traditional relationships in the past to complex one s in modern life, so it has many consequences in different societies. Studies have shown that people who attempts to commit suicide are suffering deficiencies, emotional disturbance and difficulty in emotion regulation. According to these studies, ineffective emotion regulation strategies such as self-blame, rumination and catastrophizing have a stronger relationship with indicators of emotional problems such as suicide and aggression. As a result, the process of emotion regulation and its management is necessary in different situations. Emotional distress is a natural cognitive phenomenon that all people experience in certain situations of life. There are many evidences for this claim, but the intensity, frequency and controllability of this phenomenon are different in different people. [9]
Emotion regulation refers to an individual’s ability to be aware of and control the emotions they experience. It plays a significant role in preventing suicidal thoughts or actions. People unconsciously employ emotion regulation strategies throughout the day to cope with challenging situations. Many individuals use various strategies to regulate their emotions and adapt to environmental demands. Healthy strategies can moderate intense feelings and enhance understanding of the emotional experiences. Conversely, unhealthy strategies may leave lasting damage. Emotional regulation empowers individuals to better manage their emotional states. Unified transdiagnostic treatment is recognized as a novel psychological intervention with proven effectiveness for various emotional disorders.[14] In this study, we investigated the impact of unified transdiagnostic treatment on emotional dysregulation and difficulties in emotion regulation among patients with a history of suicide attempts. The core of this intervention is awareness, especially emotional and cognitive awareness, and identification and control of different emotions.
The main objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness the outcomes of unified transdiagnostic treatment for emotional disorders with those of emotion-focused transdiagnostic treatment in patients with a history of suicide attempts.
Method: The research method employed was a semi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. For this study, 50 patients aged 18 to 40 years with at least one diagnosis of emotional disorders were purposefully selected from Baharloo and Roozbeh hospitals in the year 2023. During the course of the study, 6 individuals (4 from the experimental group and 2 from the control group) dropped out, resulting in a final sample of 44 participants divided into two groups of 22 each (experimental and control). In addition to standard interventions, the experimental group received an unified transdiagnostic treatment (Barlow et al., 2017) consisting of 8 sessions lasting 90 minutes each, while the control group received routine interventions during the same period. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires assessing emotion regulation difficulties (DERS) and emotional distress (DASS-21). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26.
Results: In the post-test phase, the unified transdiagnostic treatment group showed improvement in emotional dysregulation scores and difficulty in emotion regulation compared to the control group. Additionally, the analysis of Covariance revealed that the distribution of scores in both emotional dysregulation and difficulty in emotion regulation variables is normal. Furthermore, statistical analyses indicated that there is a significant difference between the post-test mean scores of the experimental and control groups in at least one of the emotional dysregulation and difficulty in emotion regulation variables. The results of the multivariate analysis of Covariance showed that the F value for the emotional dysregulation variable was 188.912, and for the difficulty in emotion regulation variable, it was 207.199, all of which are statistically significant (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The results indicate that unified transdiagnostic treatment is effective in reducing emotional dysregulation and increasing emotional regulation in patients with a history of repeated suicide attempts referred to Tehran neurology and psychiatric hospitals. Transdiagnostic integrated treatment has been effective in reducing the level of emotional disturbance in patients with a history of suicide attempts. In general, the unified protocol for the transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders, using psychological training techniques, emotional awareness training, increasing cognitive flexibility and emotional exposure, deals with emotional disturbance and correcting emotional regulation habits of patients. The unified protocol teaches the nature of emotions and the main components of emotional experiences and helps patients to track their experiences of an emotion, that is, to identify the triggers of emotional experiences, their responses to these emotions and the messages of these responses.[34] This finding is consistent with the studies conducted by Izadi et al. (2019),[33] Ghasemzadeh et al. (2021),[36] Elah Dadian Flavarjani and Gerji (2021),[37] Sauer-Zavala et al. (2021),[27] Galehgirian et al. (2021),[24] and Ehrenreich et al. (2017) [39]. The role of emotion regulation can be highlighted in explaining this finding. The second module of the integrated protocol focuses on psychological education about the nature of emotions and the core components of emotional experiences. It assists patients in tracking their emotional experiences, identifying emotional triggers, their responses to these emotions, and the consequences of these responses. unified transdiagnostic treatment, through emotional awareness and emotion regulation training, helps reduce anxiety, depression, and stress in participants. This intervention fosters improvement in negative emotional experiences.
Furthermore, the results demonstrate that unified transdiagnostic treatment has an effect on reducing and improving emotional disorders and emotion regulation in patients with a history of suicide attempts in the experimental group compared to the control group.This finding is consistent with other studies, including Talkovsky et al. (2017),[42] Davoudi et al. (2018),[47] Fadaei et al. (2018),[48] Sakiris and Berle (2019),[21] To elaborate on this finding, It should be said that one of the mechanisms through which this treatment protocol creates change is emotion regulation. One of the most common emotion regulation strategies is the use of cognitive strategies,[52] the fifth module of the integrated protocol focuses on assessing and modifying cognitive evaluations. It helps patients gain greater awareness of how they interpret and evaluate situations and understand how thoughts impact emotional reactions. The goal of changing cognitive evaluations is to enhance flexibility in evaluative situations. This module assists patients in identifying maladaptive self-appraisals, recognizing the impact of these appraisals on their mood or emotions, and achieving greater flexibility in their thinking patterns.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Clinical Psychiatry
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