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Symposium

Transdiagnostic and Therapeutic Processes
Symposium

Symposium 19 - Transdiagnostic Interventions for Young People: Current Evidence Base and Critical Next Steps

Thursday, June 25, 2026
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM PDT
Location: Yerba Buena Salon 10, B3 Level
CE: 1.5

Keywords: Transdiagnostic , Children, Adherence
Level of Familiarity: All
Recommended Readings: Chu, B. C., Crocco, S. T., Esseling, P., Areizaga, M. J., Lindner, A. M., & Skriner, L. C. (2016). Transdiagnostic group behavioral activation and exposure therapy for youth anxiety and depression: Initial randomized controlled trial. Behaviour research and therapy, 76, 65-75.,   Kennedy, S. M., Bilek, E. L., & Ehrenreich-May, J. (2019). A randomized controlled pilot trial of the unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders in children. Behavior modification, 43(3), 330-360.,   Kennedy, S. M., Wilkie, D. P., Henry, L., Moe-Hartman, J., Townson, K., Anthony, L. G., & Hawks, J. L. (2023). The unified protocols for children and adolescents in partial hospitalization: Using implementation science frameworks to guide adaptation. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 30(3), 367-383.,   Martinsen, K. D., Rasmussen, L. M. P., Wentzel-Larsen, T., Holen, S., Sund, A. M., Løvaas, M. E. S., ... & Neumer, S. P. (2019). Prevention of anxiety and depression in school children: Effectiveness of the transdiagnostic EMOTION program. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 87(2), 212.,   Weisz, J., Bearman, S. K., Santucci, L. C., & Jensen-Doss, A. (2017). Initial test of a principle-guided approach to transdiagnostic psychotherapy with children and adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 46(1), 44-58.

Mental health challenges are the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes for youth and young adults with up to 20% of young people reporting some form of psychological, developmental or behavioral disorder (U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory, 2021). Transdiagnostic interventions that use evidence-based practices in an efficient format or that target universal processes (e.g., psychological, social, behavioral) have garnered strong evidence for addressing the complex clinical needs of youth (Garcia-Escalera et al., 2016; Radunz et al., 2025). The current symposium showcases the work of four research teams who will present different approaches to transdiagnostic therapy applied to diverse clinical problems and developmental stages, across diverse settings and providers.

Martinsen and colleagues will review the development and optimization of the EMOTION program, an indicated prevention program for children with elevated anxiety and/or depression. Tested primarily in Norway, this group-based program helped prevent symptoms at post-treatment and one-year follow-up in both in-person and optimized formats, combining face-to-face delivery with digital components to enhance engagement. Chu and colleagues will describe a behavioral activation approach (GBAT/IBAT) designed to address anxiety, mood, and anger experiences through the common process of avoidance. Data from three trials demonstrating its efficacy and utility across formats (individual, group), setting (school, clinic, virtual), provider, and clinical focus (anxiety, mood, autism) will be integrated. Weisz and colleagues will introduce two forms of transdiagnostic interventions, MATCH and FIRST, to illustrate different approaches to clinical decision-making within modular treatments. They will present pooled data from six clinical trials of modular treatments that provide evidence for which strategies are most effective in which circumstances. Kennedy and colleagues will highlight efforts to adapt the Unified Protocol for Children and Adolescents to intensive treatment programs (e.g., partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient programs) and for addressing self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. Results suggest effective and sustainable outcomes for the UP-C/A across diverse patient populations in these intensive settings. Finally, our discussant, Dr. Ehrenreich-May will comment on the landscape of transdiagnostic interventions for young people, referencing her own work in the area, to highlight areas of progress and critical next steps in this exciting domain of research, practice, and healthcare.

Learning Objectives:

  • Describe different formats and settings of transdiagnostic therapies and current evidence for their effectiveness.
  • Describe the range of client populations and clinical targets to which transdiagnostic interventions have been applied, particularly in youth.
  • Discuss future directions for transdiagnostic therapies, including research and clinical applications.

Presentations:

  • 4:06 PM - 4:27 PM PDT
    (SYM 19) Advancing Equitable and Sustainable CBT for Children: Effectiveness, Follow-up, and Optimization of the Transdiagnostic EMOTION Program

    Speaker: Kristin Kicki Martinsen, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – University of Oslo

    Co-Author: Philip C. Kendall, PhD – Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Co-Author: Jo Magne Ingul, Ph.D. (he/him/his) – Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare (RKBU), Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

    Co-Author: Frode Adolfsen, Ph.D. (he/him/his) – Faculty of Health Sciences, Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare North, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway

    Co-Author: Carina Lisøy, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway, Oslo, Norway

    Co-Author: Simon-Peter Neumer, Ph.D. (he/him/his) – Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway, Oslo, Norway

  • 4:27 PM - 4:48 PM PDT
    (SYM 19) Valued Action: Addressing the Mental Health of Young People Through Behavioral Activation

    Speaker: Brian C. Chu, Ph.D. (he/him/his) – Rutgers University

    Co-Author: Andrea Temkin-Yu, Psy.D. – Weill Cornell Medicine

    Co-Author: Laura Skriner, Ph.D. – The Center for Stress, Anxiety, and Mood, LLC

    Co-Author: Lauren Hoffman, Psy.D. – Lauren J. Hoffman Psychology, PLLC

    Co-Author: Elaina Zendegui, Psy.D. – Helm Behavioral Wellness

    Co-Author: Genta Kukaj, Psy.M. – Rutgers University - GSAPP

    Co-Author: Vanessa Bal, PhD (she/her/hers) – Rutgers University

  • 4:48 PM - 5:09 PM PDT
    (SYM 19) MATCH, FIRST, and the Search for Clinician Decision Guidance

    Speaker: John R. Weisz, ABPP, Ph.D. (he/him/his) – Harvard University

    Co-Author: John R. Weisz, ABPP, Ph.D. (he/him/his) – Harvard University

    Co-Author: Katherine Venturo-Conerly, M.A. (she/her/hers) – Harvard Medical School

    Co-Author: Sarah Kate Bearman, Ph.D. – University of Oregon, The Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health

  • 5:09 PM - 5:30 PM PDT
    (SYM 19) "it's Not Fun, but It Works": Lessons Learned from Adapting and Evaluating Transdiagnostic CBT for Intensive Treatment Settings

    Speaker: Sarah M. Kennedy, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

    Co-Author: Jessica Hawks, Ph.D. – University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

    Co-Author: Katherine Benjamin, Ph.D. – University of Washington

    Co-Author: Lauren Henry, Ph.D. – Children's Hospital Colorado

    Co-Author: Sarah Taylor-Cavelier, Ph.D. – Children's Hospital Colorado

    Co-Author: Laura G. Anthony, PhD (she/her/hers) – Children's Hospital of Colorado