Group and online application of the Unified Protocol in Argentina: controlled pilot study

Emotional disorders (ED), including anxiety and depression, are highly prevalent in Argentina and share dysfunctional emotional regulation mechanisms. The Unified Protocol (UP) is a transdiagnostic intervention designed to address these common processes. This is the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate its effectiveness on a group and online format in the Argentinian population. A parallel-group RCT was conducted with 39 participants (mean age = 33.54; 67% women) diagnosed with various EDs according to DSM-5 criteria. Subjects were randomly assigned to a treatment group (n = 22), which received 10 90-min sessions of the UP, or to a waiting list control group (n = 23). Mixed linear models assessed changes in emotional dysregulation (DERS), anxiety (BAI), depression (BDI-II), hopelessness (BHS), affect (PANAS), neuroticism (IPIP-FFM), mindfulness (MAAS), and quality of life (MQLI). At post-treatment (week 10), the intervention group showed significant improvements across all outcomes compared with controls. Significant reductions were observed in emotional dysregulation, anxiety, depression, hopelessness, neuroticism, and negative affect, alongside increases in positive affect, mindfulness, and quality of life. Participants reported high satisfaction and perceived usefulness. Findings support the effectiveness and acceptability of the UP group online format in the Argentine context, facilitating the scalability of evidence-based treatments.