Abstract
Background
This study examines potential predictors of full recovery in emotional disorders —considering symptom plus functional outcomes at one-year follow-up—in a sample derived from a randomized controlled trial aimed to test the efficacy of adding transdiagnostic group cognitive-behavioural therapy (TD-GCBT) to treatment-as-usual (TAU) in primary care.
Methods
A total of 387 individuals were examined, 128 (33.1%) achieved a full recovery at one-year follow-up. Baseline data on sociodemographic, treatment, disability, clinical, and cognitive variables were analysed using independent groups comparisons and hierarchical binary logistic regression. The groups were compared in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
Results
Four variables emerged as significant predictors of full recovery at one-year: allocation to the TD-GCBT group, no antidepressant use, higher levels of cognitive reappraisal, and fewer somatic symptoms. Between-group comparison showed that the full-recovery group had notably higher levels of HRQoL at one-year follow-up assessment (Cohen’s d = 0.77).
Conclusion
The addition of TD-GCBT to TAU was the main predictor for full recovery. After controlling for depressive symptoms, individuals who were not taking antidepressants at baseline were twice as likely to achieve full recovery compared to those taking antidepressants. These findings may have implications for the standard treatment approach for emotional disorders in primary care.
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Acknowledgements
We thank all members of the PsicAP Research Group and participants who took part in this large project. The authors wish to thank to EuroQol Research Team (euroqol.org) for providing free access to the EQ-5D questionnaire.
Funding
This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation I + D + i (RETOS) under Grant nº 4605107243-107243-4-19. C.G-B was supported by a Research Intensification Grant (INT/A19/02) from the Valdecilla Biomedical Research Institute (IDIVAL).
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The ethics committee of the Spanish National Scientific Research Ethics Committee (EUDRACT: 2013-001955-11) approved the study and written informed consent from all parents was obtained. The study was conducted in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration.
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González-Blanch, C., Medrano, L.A., Ruíz-Rodríguez, P. et al. Predictors of Full Recovery in Individuals with Emotional Disorders: One-Year Follow-Up Secondary Analysis of the PsicAP Randomized Controlled Trial. Cogn Ther Res 47, 367–376 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-023-10360-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-023-10360-1