Application of the Unified Protocol for a Japanese Patient with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Multiple Comorbidities: A Single-Case Study

Noriko Kato, Masaya Ito, Yutaka J. Matsuoka, Masaru Horikoshi and Yutaka Ono
Additional contact information
Noriko Kato: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
Masaya Ito: National Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Research, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
Yutaka J. Matsuoka: National Hospital Organization Disaster Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo 190-0014, Japan
Masaru Horikoshi: National Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Research, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
Yutaka Ono: Ono Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Tokyo 102-0072, Japan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-14

Abstract: (1) Background: The efficacy of the Unified Protocol (UP), a transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral therapy, with trauma-focused exposure has not been sufficiently demonstrated for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with multiple comorbidities. This study examined the effects of UP treatment with trauma-focused exposure on symptoms of PTSD and comorbidities in a client who was hesitant about exposure. (2) Methods: The client, who had comorbid dysthymia, social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, and bulimia nervosa, participated in the UP for 20 sessions over 6 months. The principal diagnosis and symptoms of the comorbid disorders were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and at the 3-month follow-up. This treatment was conducted as part of a clinical study (UMIN000008322). (3) Results: The client showed improvement in the principal diagnosis and symptoms of the comorbid disorders post-intervention compared with baseline and no longer met the diagnostic criteria for any of the disorders. Considerable symptom improvement was observed with imaginal exposure to trauma memories. (4) Conclusions: The UP was an effective alternative treatment for PTSD and symptoms of comorbidities in this client who was hesitant about exposure to traumatic memories, and that the inclusion of trauma-focused exposure provided sufficient therapeutic effects. Further research is needed to examine the generalizability of our findings.

Keywords: Unified Protocol; posttraumatic stress disorder; cognitive behavioral therapy; transdiagnostic intervention; emotional disorders (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/21/11644/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/21/11644/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:21:p:11644-:d:673222

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().