Abstract
Objective: This study explores whether early change on a putative mechanism maintaining symptoms can serve as a proximal indicator of response to prompt discontinuation. Method: Patients (N = 70; Mage = 33.74, 67% female, 74% white) with heterogeneous anxiety and depressive disorders completed a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART). Patients received 6 sessions of skill modules from the Unified Protocol and then underwent a second-stage randomization to either receive the remaining 6 sessions (Full duration) or discontinue treatment (Brief duration). All participants completed weekly self-report measures of anxiety and depressive symptoms and distress aversion for the full 12-week treatment window. We used structural equation modeling to test (1) if distress aversion demonstrated significant variability during the first-stage randomization and (2) if distress aversion during the first-stage randomization predicted second-stage changes in anxiety and depression. Results: Participants demonstrated significant variability in first-stage distress aversion. Latent distress aversion slopes significantly predicted latent second-stage anxiety slopes, whereas latent distress aversion intercepts significantly predicted latent second-stage depression slopes. Conclusions: These results suggest that early mechanism engagement may have potential as a trigger to prompt personalized termination. Shorter courses of care may reduce patient costs and increase the mental health service system's capacity.
Disclosure Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 The Countering Emotional Behaviors module in this study consists of two modules from the standard UP: Countering Emotional Behaviors and Emotion Exposures. We linked these two modules because both address aversive reactions to emotions by engaging in behaviors explicitly designed to approach emotional experiences.
2 Models did not converge when we coded session 6 as the reference value for MEAQ-DA intercepts and slopes, so we retained session 1 as the reference value in all analyses.