Table 1.
Session | UP-Aa module | Module title | Main content |
1 | Module 1 | Building and Keeping Motivation | Introduce confidentiality and group rules; obtain 3 top problems, severity ratings, and a SMARTb goal for each problem; complete emotion identification skills activity if sufficient time remains. |
2 | Module 2 | Getting to Know Your Emotions and Behaviors | Psychoeducation about emotions and their function; introduce emotional behaviors, the 3 parts of an emotional experience, and the “Before, During, and After” form for tracking emotional experiences outside of sessions. |
3 | Module 3 | Emotion-Focused Behavioral Experiments | Psychoeducation about cycle of avoidance, opposite action, and behavioral experiments; reflect on current use of free time and come up with a list of enjoyed activities; introduce weekly activity tracker for on-going behavioral activation. |
4 | Module 4 | Awareness of Physical Sensations | Psychoeducation about body sensations, their relationship to intense emotions and their harmlessness; introduce the concept of “fight or flight response” and review cycle of avoidance; conduct sensational exposures with the group. |
5 | Module 5 | Being Flexible in Your Thinking | Introduce the concept of “thinking traps” (ie, cognitive distortions) and teach common thinking traps; introduce the concept of automatic and alternative thoughts as well as detective thinking skills; Re-rate top problems obtained in session 1. |
6 | Module 5 | Being Flexible in Your Thinking | Review thinking traps and detective thinking skills; introduce and ensure understanding of problem solving skills; conduct examples using problem solving skills with group members; review skills learnt so far in the program. |
7 | Module 6 | Awareness of Emotional Experiences | Introduce the rationale for present-moment awareness and practice this skill in session using non-emotional stimuli (eg, focus on breathing); introduce rationale for non-judgmental awareness; do an individual mini-test assessing skills taught in the program so far. |
8 | Module 7 | Situational Emotion Exposures | Review cycle of avoidance, reinforcement, and maintenance of learned behavior; provide psychoeducation about emotion exposures; create emotional behaviors forms to identify relevant exposures; if time permits, conduct a group exposure activity; assign exposure homework. |
9 | Module 8 | Keeping it Going—Maintaining Your Gains | Review exposure homework and plan future exposures if necessary; re-rate top problems and revisit SMART goals; review skills that have been most useful for each group member and make an individualized post-program plan to practice skills. |
aUP-A: Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents.
bSMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.