Symposia
Transdiagnostic
Nicholas P. Allan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio
Catherine Accorso, MA
Graduate Student
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio
Brandon Koscinski, MS
Graduate Student
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio
Sierra Flynt, BA
Graduate Student
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio
Carmen Sanchez, BA
Undergraduate Student
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio
Megan Austin, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio
Julie Suhr, PhD
Professor
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio
The death toll and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic are staggering. Unaddressed, a mental health crisis will follow. Fear and anxiety about the COVID-19 virus itself, the economic impact, loneliness accompanying social isolation, and the uncertain timeline are driving the mental health impacts of COVID-19, with 45% of Kaiser Family Foundation poll respondents reporting that the coronavirus has had a negative impact on their mental health. Given the looming mental health crisis, brief treatments that can be quickly deployed are needed. We developed a brief, five-session, CBT-based treatment targeting transdiagnostic risk factors underlying distress (anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, loneliness) during the COVID-19 pandemic, enriched with a mobile app. We are completing a pilot trial testing our intervention, Coping Crew, in a sample of 16 community adults experiencing distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This trial was designed to examine acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy. In preliminary data from 8 people (Mage = 21.63, SD = 2.45; 63% white, 25% Asian, 13% biracial), 100% rated the intervention as good/excellent and that it had met their mental health needs. Further, 75-88% found the treatment focusing on anxiety, stress, and loneliness was helpful, 88% found the mobile app to be a helpful supplement, and 75% found working with a therapist to be very helpful. We found significant reduction in the targeted risk factors: anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, and loneliness all showed large effect size reductions, d > 1.03 (ps < .02). Further, reductions were found in anxiety (d = .37, p > .05), depression (d = .68, p < .05), and functional impairment related to the pandemic (d = .67, p < .05). These results provide preliminary support for our five-session group CBT intervention, including a mobile app adjunct. Given these promising results, we plan to revise the intervention based on participant feedback and to conduct a fully-powered hybrid efficacy/effectiveness trial.