Analyses of prediction, moderation, and mediation of a transdiagnostic, indicated preventive intervention (PROCARE-I) for adolescents at high risk of emotional problems

Abstract

Background: Emotional disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are highly prevalent among adolescents, emphasizing the critical importance of developing effective preventive interventions and advancing the understanding of mechanisms inherent in these interventions. Objective: To conduct secondary prediction/moderation analyses of sociodemogrphic and clinical variables regarding outcomes of a transdiagnostic, indicated preventive intervention for high-risk adolescents (PROCARE-I) and an active control condition (ACC) based on psychoeducation. Additionally, mediation analyses examined the role of resilience in improved PROCARE-I outcomes. Method: Sixty-four emotionally high-risk adolescents (53% female and 47% male), aged 12 to 18 years (M = 13.69; SD = 1.56), were randomized into the PROCARE-I condition (n = 36) and the ACC (n = 28). Results: There was a nonspecific prediction effect, indicating that a combination of anxious and

depressive symptoms is associated with higher self-reported emotional risk following the inter- ventions. No treatment moderation effect was found. Regarding mediation analyses, receiving

a transdiagnostic preventive intervention, as opposed to an intervention based solely on psychoe- ducation, increased resilience levels. This rise in resilience mediated the reduction in emotional risk

levels, emotional symptomatology, as well as the improvement in the quality of life reported by adolescents. Conclusions: Enhancement of resilience could play a fundamental role in achieving positive outcomes following a transdiagnostic preventive intervention for emotionally high-risk adolescents.