Interventions for transdiagnostic processes in emotional disorders

Summary Anxiety and depression account for more than half of the burden of disease caused by mental disorders. Anxiety and depression also co-occur highly with each other, with 69% of anxious individuals being diagnosed with depression and up to 75% of depressed individuals meeting criteria for an anxiety disorder. When different classes of disorders co-occur at such high rates, selecting an appropriate treatment approach can be challenging. Unlike most traditional disorder-specific treatments, transdiagnostic approaches target common features underlying symptoms in comorbid disorders. They are more time-efficient and cost effective, simplifying treatment for both the client and therapist, which could improve the quality of care and satisfy a great need in public health. This chapter focuses on interventions for transdiagnostic processes in emotional disorders. We reported results on underlying mechanisms involving transdiagnostic processes, and intervention strategies targeting transdiagnostic processes in populations with anxiety and depression.