Category: Transdiagnostic
Nicholas Allan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio
Ashley Knapp, M.A., Ph.D.
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Chicago, Illinois
Brad Schmidt, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Florida State University, Psychology Department
Tallahassee, Florida
Nicholas Allan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio
Ashley Knapp, M.A., Ph.D.
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Chicago, Illinois
Kevin Saulnier, M.S.
Ohio University
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Amanda Raines, Ph.D.
Clinical Investigator
Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System
New Orleans, Louisiana
Kelsey Eackles, B.S.
Ohio University
The Plains, Ohio
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented disruption in the lives of children, adolescents, and adults. Based on data from prior national/regional crises, the impact of emotional distress will continue unabated for many people. Resources to treat emotional distress are limited and must therefore be deployed efficiently. Five speakers will present their work across the developmental spectrum and focused on distress and anxiety through a transdiagnostic lens. Our first two speakers identify risk factors for distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in children. Children have suffered immense stress due to lockdowns and an, unprecedented and unplanned for switch to virtual schooling. Our first study examines the relations between parent stress, anxiety, and catastrophic worries about the pandemic and parent ratings of in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents self-reported catastrophic thinking was a robust predictor of child outcomes. Our next study used qualitative methods to conduct focus groups with adolescents detailing their struggles during the pandemic. This study concluded that as news media has reported, “our kids are not ok.” Our next speaker will present data from a brief group telehealth intervention, augmented with a mobile app, on reducing distress in adult community members experiencing distress due to the pandemic. This study targets several transdiagnostic risk factors using CBT principles such as psychoeducation, challenging maladaptive thoughts, and exposure. Preliminary data support this intervention as acceptable, feasible, and efficacious in reducing several transdiagnostic risk factors. Our second speaker will present data from a brief 60 minute intervention targeting social anxiety. This intervention targets one specific risk factor using CBT principles similar to those in the prior study. This study also includes a mobile app and uses ecological momentary intervention to encourage skill building outside of the brief intervention. Results of this study supported a brief intervention targeting physically observable anxiety sensations as acceptable, feasible, and efficacious in reducing distress due to anxiety sensitivity social concerns, a risk factor for social anxiety. Our final speaker also examines a transdiagnostic intervention approach, targeting the use of safety aids to maintain anxiety across the disorder spectrum. This treatment was group-based telehealth for veterans. The treatment targeting safety aids was acceptable, feasible, and again preliminary evidence supported reductions in a transdiagnostic risk factor, use of safety aids, and anxiety. Following these talks, our discussant, an expert in transdiagnostic risk factors and brief interventions for these risk factors, will talk about the implications of this set of findings on addressing the emotional toll of the COVID-19 pandemic.
.
Presenter: Nicholas P. Allan, Ph.D. – Ohio University
Co-author: Catherine Accorso, MA – Ohio University
Co-author: Brandon Koscinski, MS – Ohio University
Co-author: Sierra Flynt, BA – Ohio University
Co-author: Carmen Sanchez, BA – Ohio University
Co-author: Megan Austin, PhD – Ohio University
Co-author: Julie Suhr, PhD – Ohio University
Presenter: Ashley A. Knapp, M.A., Ph.D. – Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Co-author: Ashley Walker, MS – Northwestern University
Co-author: Emily Hersch, MA – Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Co-author: Anny Yang, Undergraduate – Northwestern University
Co-author: Clarisa Wijaya, PhD – Northwestern University
Co-author: Deepika Kour Sodhi, MD – Northwestern University
Co-author: Madhu Reddy, PhD – University of California, Irvine
Presenter: Kevin Saulnier, M.S. – Ohio University
Co-author: Sierra Flynt, BA – Ohio University
Co-author: Catherine Accorso, MA – Ohio University
Co-author: Brandon Koscinski, MS – Ohio University
Co-author: Nicholas P. Allan, Ph.D. – Ohio University
Presenter: Amanda M. Raines, Ph.D. – Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System
Co-author: Kate Clauss, M.A – Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System
Co-author: Chelsea Ennis, Ph.D. – Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System
Co-author: Laurel Franklin, Ph.D. – Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System
Presenter: Kelsey R. Eackles, B.S. – Ohio University
Co-author: Darcey Allan, PhD – Ohio University
Co-author: Nicholas P. Allan, Ph.D. – Ohio University
Co-author: Julie Sarno Owens, PhD – Ohio University
Co-author: Frances Wymbs, PhD – Ohio University