Treatment elements in transdiagnostic interventions for children and adolescents with emotional problems: A scoping review

In recent years, clinical trials on transdiagnostic interventions for emotional problems among children and adolescents have steadily increased. There seems to be heterogeneity among these treatment protocols, and currently there is no systematic review of this literature. Therefore, this review aimed at identifying the most frequent treatment elements of transdiagnostic intervention for youths' emotional problems and at describing their implementation characteristics. This scoping review included randomized controlled trials, testing transdiagnostic interventions for emotional problems, delivered to children and adolescents, selected based on a clinical level of emotional problems. This scoping review included 16 studies, reporting on 11 different protocols. Psychoeducation, relapse prevention, homework, exposure, and cognitive restructuring were the most frequent elements, while strengths assessment, assertiveness training and stimulus management were the least frequent elements. The highest numbers of sessions were allocated to cognitive restructuring, exposure, and social skill training. The protocols were predominantly cognitive behavioral therapy, delivered in traditional format face-to face, and had a medium duration of 5 to 10 sessions. Overall, our findings highlight that empirically supported treatment elements are integrated in the transdiagnostic protocols. Yet there is room for optimization of these interventions in terms of dosage of some elements as well as in terms of how the interventions are delivered. More in-depth evaluations focusing on the additive effects of distinct treatment elements, their optimal dosage as well as the impact of the order with which these elements are introduced during the transdiagnostic intervention are also needed. • Psychoeducation, exposure, and cognitive restructuring were the most common elements. • Assessment, assertiveness training, and stimulus management were the least common. • Most sessions were allocated to cognitive restructuring, exposure, and social skills. • Protocols were mainly CBT, delivered in traditional face-to-face therapy formats.