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Treatment - CBT

Preliminary findings from an open trial of emotion regulation therapy via telehealth for distressed adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

(PS5-A7) Preliminary Findings from an Open Trial of Emotion Regulation Therapy via Telehealth for Distressed Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Friday, November 18, 2022

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST

Location: Westside Ballroom, 5th Floor

Author(s)

PS

Phillip E. Spaeth, B.A.

Doctoral Student
Teachers College, Columbia University
Jersey City, New Jersey

Co-Author(s)

EY

Erin Young, M.A.

Doctoral Student
Columbia University
New York, New York
Michal E. Clayton, B.A.

PhD Student in Clinical Psychology
Teachers College, Columbia University
New York, New York
JQ

Jean M. Quintero, M.A.

Doctoral Student
Teachers College, Columbia University
New York, New York
DF

David M. Fresco, Ph.D.

Professor
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
DM

Douglas Mennin, Ph.D.

Professor of Clinical Psychology
Teachers College, Columbia Universitty
New York, New York

In March 2020, New York City became the US epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Waves of illness, uncertainty, isolation, disruption, and loss led to increased rates of emotional distress. To extend access to evidence-based mental health services, we initiated an open trial of emotion regulation therapy (ERT) delivered via telehealth. Utilizing an affective science framework, ERT is a brief psychotherapy that integrates principles from traditional and contemporary cognitive behavioral therapies and mindfulness meditation practices to resolve motivational and regulatory deficits associated with distress. Treatment consisted of nine twice-weekly sessions, supported by an internet-based platform to augment treatment (e.g., video modules, between-session exercises, mindful regulation practices). Here, we present an interim report from this ongoing trial, collected between 5/2020-1/2021, during the first two waves of COVID-19 in the region (projected N = 140). Block stratification was utilized for recruitment and enrollment to ensure that the overall sample would be diverse and reflect NYC census data. Participants were 70 adults in New York (Mage = 33.09, SD = 9.68; 67% female; 57% non-white; 25% ethnically Hispanic/Latinx), who reported being negatively impacted by the pandemic (e.g., moderate [48.6%] to severe [51.4%] COVID-19 distress, severe disruption of routines [77.1%], job loss [38.6%], lost wages [34.1%], severe lack of access to mental health care [15.7%]). Primary outcomes measures of negative self-referential processing (i.e., worry, rumination) and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and general distress were administered pre- and post-treatment. In addition, secondary outcomes (i.e., functional impairment, life satisfaction) and ERT mechanisms (i.e., attentional control, decentering, reappraisal) were assessed. Paired-sample t-test revealed significant pre- to post-ERT improvement for all outcomes of interest (ps < .001) with large effect sizes: worry (d = 2.35), rumination (d = 2.29), general distress (d = 2.75), anxiety (d = 1.69), depression (d = 1.87), functional impairment (d =1.49), and life satisfaction (d = 1.30). Further, large pre- to post-treatment gains were observed in attentional control (d = 1.73), decentering (d = 2.26), and reappraisal (d = 2.13). Of the 70 participants presented, only 7 (10%) did not complete all sessions. These initial findings provide preliminary support that ERT was well-tolerated, improved emotion regulation capacities, and effectively reduced distress in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Future analyses will examine the maintenance of treatment gains through follow-up and the impact of the pandemic’s course on treatment outcomes.