Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children (UP-C) is a theory-derived approach that can target the common underlying processes, such as the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes in emotional disorders in children aged 8-12 years. This study aimed to investigate UP-C's efficacy in treating children's anxiety disorders compared to cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this randomized control trial (RCT), with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up, 34 participants aged 8-12 with anxiety disorders were selected through the restricted randomization method and allocated to intervention (UP-C) or control (CBT) groups by random allocation rule. UP-C group consisted of 15 weekly individual sessions, and CBT included 16 weekly individual sessions. The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA) and The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED-71) were completed in the pre-test, post-test, and three-month follow-up stages. The data of participants were analyzed using the repeated measure analysis of variance. A P- value under. 05 was regarded as significant. RESULTS: Based on the repeated measures ANOVA, UP-C, and CBT significantly reduced anxiety symptoms (P = .002) and emotional suppression (P = .032). Moreover, UP-C and CBT significantly increased emotion regulation (P = .000) and cognitive reappraisal (P = .000). CONCLUSION: The individual UP-C can be effective as anxiety-oriented CBT in treating anxiety disorders. Also, in the three months follow-up, the UP-C's effects were more stable and progressive than the CBT.