Predicting and Moderating the Response to the Unified Protocol: Do Baseline Personality and Affective Profiles Matter?

Neuroticism (N), extraversion (E), and negative/positive affect (NA/PA) are personality/affective characteristics highly related to the etiology and maintenance of emotional disorders (EDs). This study aims at exploring the moderating role of baseline personality/ and affectivity profiles in the response to a transdiagnostic psychological treatment for EDs.

Outcomes were N, E, NA, PA, depression, and anxiety. These were assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up in 157 participants with EDs who received the Unified Protocol (UP) in group format in the Spanish Health System. A linear mixed model analysis was carried out to investigate different recovery trajectories as a function of baseline personality and affective profiles

Significant changes occurred in all variables after the UP. Medium and high baseline scores in N and NA moderate the largest changes on N, NA and E while lower baseline scores in PA and E moderate the largest changes on E and PA. Changes over time on depression and anxiety symptoms were not predicted from personality/affect baseline scores.

The study results support the short-medium term utility of the UP to address all study outcomes. Moreover, personalizing interventions according to baseline personality/affect might be a sensible strategy to enhance the UP effectiveness. Trial registration number NCT03064477 (March 10, 2017).