Tag Archives: cognitive-behavioral therapy

Unified protocols for transdiagnostic treatment versus the Beckian’s approach of cognitive behavioral therapy for medical students with emotional disorders

Cosmin O. Popa1, Peter Olah2, Cristiana Cojocaru3, Zsolt Jakab3, Dana V. Ghiga4, Alina Schenk3

1. Department of Ethics and Social-Sciences, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Romania
2. Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Tirgu Mures, Romania
3. The Doctoral School of Medicine and Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Romania
4. Department of Research methodology, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Romania

DOI: 10.2478/amma-2022-0002

Background: Emotional disorders are highly prevalent among medical students, impacting their academic performance and general quality of life. It was shown that cognitive-behavioral and emotion regulation strategies are efficient for reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms in young people.
Objective: This study aims to compare the efficiency of standard individual Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to a group intervention based on the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment (UPTT) of emotional disorders in two groups of medical students with similar baseline characteristics.
Method: The sample of this research was composed of 64 medical students in total, of which 34 were included in the CBT group (Mage= 19.5 years, SD= 0.96) and 30 were included in the UPTT group (Mage= 19.4 years, SD= 0.93). The level of irrational beliefs and emotional distress were measured before and after the interventions, which were carried out by certificated psychotherapists.
Results: Statistically significant differences were observed between pre-test and post-test in both groups. The level of irrational beliefs dropped after the CBT (M=62.91, SD=21.30, p<0.05) and the UPTT intervention (M=67.33, SD=34.89, p<0.05), respectively. Similarly, the profile of emotional distress changed after the CBT (M=77.62, SD=16.97, p<0.05) and the UPTT intervention (M=68.77, SD=20.06, p<0.01).
Conclusion: Psychological interventions relying on cognitive-behavioral approaches, including standard, individual psychotherapy and a group intervention designed according to a transdiagnostic protocol, are suitable methods for reducing emotional disorders among medical students.

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Emotional disorders associated to multiple sclerosis and psychological interventions: a literature review

Alina Schenk1, Cosmin Octavian Popa2, Cristiana Manuela Cojocaru1

1. The Doctoral School of Medicine and Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Romania
2. Department of Ethics and Social-Sciences, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Romania

DOI: 10.2478/amma-2021-0042

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable neurologic disease affecting 2.8 million people worldwide. Individuals with MS experience multiple physical and psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, fatigue, and pain that impact their general functioning and quality of life. The aim of this review is to highlight the importance of psychological interventions in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms associated with the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Cognitive and behavioral techniques are also useful in relieving the specific symptoms of multiple sclerosis. However, few studies have captured the psychological processes involved in reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety, which is why greater concern is recommended in future studies in order to develop better psychological interventions tailored for patients with multiple sclerosis.

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Romanian adaptation of Centrality of Religiosity Scale and the utility of this scale in cognitive-behavioral therapy for religious populations

Adrian V. Rus1, Alexander Clark2, Aurelian Petrus Plopeanu3, Elena Adriana Tomuletiu4, Anca Bejenaru5, Ecaterina Stativa6, Wesley C. Lee1, Sheri R. Parris7, Cosmin Octavian Popa8, Simona Muresan8

1. Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Southwestern Christian University, Bethany, OK, USA
2. College of Education and Professional Studies, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK, USA
3. Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania
4. “Dimitrie Cantemir” University of Tîrgu-Mures, Romania
5. Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Department of Social Work, Journalism, Public Relations, and Sociology, Romania
6. The National Institute for Mother and Child Health “Alessandrescu-Rusescu”, Bucharest, Romania
7. Brite Divinity School, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
8. George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Romania

DOI: 10.2478/amma-2021-0010

Background: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is a psychotherapeutic intervention that proved to be an efficient treatment for a variety of psychiatric disorders. Religious features can be efficiently integrated within cognitive-behavioral approaches both during the assessment and treatment processes. The use of a specific instrument for measuring religious beliefs and attitudes may improve psychological intervention for a widely spectrum of mental disorders, including anxiety and psychosis.
Objective: The present study aims to establish a Romanian version of the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS).
Method: The sample of this study included 134 undergraduate students from Romania (112 women and 22 men), aged between 18 and 46 years. The questionnaire was translated from English into Romanian by three independent translators, and then from Romanian into English by other three independent translators.
Results: Our findings indicate that the Romanian version of CRS demonstrated high internal consistency for all scales, with Cronbach alpha coefficients ranging from 0.749 to 0.881 for the individual subscales of the instrument.
Conclusion: The CRS is a valid instrument that can be used for assessing religious beliefs in Romanian population.

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The efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for treating major depressive disorder comorbid with chronic disease

Cristiana M. Cojocaru, Cosmin Octavian Popa, Nicoleta Suciu, Oláh Péter, Alina Schenk, Simona Muresan

George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Romania

DOI: 10.2478/amma-2021-0005

Chronic disease can severely impact an individual’s quality of life, influencing both physical and mental health. Major depressive disorder is one of the most common diagnoses among patients with physical conditions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a prominent evidence-based psychological treatment for depression. The objective of the present review is to summarize current research on the efficacy of this intervention in medically ill patients with comorbid depression. First, the relation between chronic disease and depression will be briefly described. Following this introduction, studies examining the efficacy of cognitive and behavioral techniques for reducing depressive symptoms in patients with frequent chronic diseases will be outlined. Subsequently, the effects of the psychological treatment for different patient populations will be analyzed. Finally, a few recommendations for adapting the intervention protocols to various target groups of people with specific characteristics will be provided in order to improve the mental health of patients with chronic medical conditions.

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