BACKGROUND
Transdiagnostic interventions delivered for children and adolescents show promising results. In order to increase access to treatment, recent developments in technology has led to alternatives to face to face interventions. Transdiagnostic Internet interventions can be effective for adult anxiety and depressive disorders, but research is more limited regarding the efficacy of such treatments for young populations diagnosed with anxiety and or depressive disorders.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to investigate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a transdiagnostic internet intervention for adolescents diagnosed with anxiety and depressive disorders based on Rational emotive behavior therapy.
METHODS
We tested the preliminary efficacy of a six-week intervention in an open trial, pre-post design including 15 participants.
RESULTS
Our results suggest that the intervention is feasible and can be included as a treatment for adolescents with anxiety and depressive disorders, being associated with moderate to large pre-post effect sizes on self-reported anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as on negative patterns of thinking and knowledge acquisition. Satisfaction with the intervention was high.
CONCLUSIONS
Transdiagnostic Internet interventions for adolescents with anxiety and depressive symptoms are feasible. Future testing of the efficacy of such interventions in randomized controlled trials should be conducted.