Abstract

This study was conducted to shed light on the mechanism of change in the unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment for emotional disorders(UP). Based on previous findings and literature review, we hypothesized that a reduction in emotion dysregulation would act as a mediator of the effects of the UP for social anxiety, generalized anxiety, depression symptoms, panic disorder severity, negative affect, impairment in daily functioning, and clinical severity rating of a principal diagnosis. Thereafter, we examined its mediating effects. Participants were undergraduate students with at least one DSM-5 diagnosis of various anxiety and depressive disorders. Forty-four participants who received individual or group UP treatment and 15 in the wait-list control condition completed outcome assessments at pre- and posttreatment and 3-month follow-up. Consistent with our hypothesis, bootstrapping-based mediational analyses demonstrated that a reduction in emotional dysregulation partially mediated the effects of the UP on social anxiety symptoms and clinical severity rating of a principal diagnosis. In addition, it fully mediated the effects of the UP on generalized anxiety, depression symptoms, panic disorder severity, negative affect, and impairment in daily functioning. In conclusion, these results provide the evidence for reducing emotion dysregulation as a mediator of the effects of the UP for Korean undergraduate students with various anxiety and depressive disorders.