Evaluating Super Skills for Life Program’s Impact on Transdiagnostic Variables in Children With Emotional Disorders: A Comparative Randomized Trial

Abstract

Transdiagnostic interventions offer a promising approach to addressing mental health problems in young populations, given the high rates of comorbidity and shared underlying processes among disorders. Super Skills for Life (SSL) is a transdiagnostic cognitivebehavioral intervention designed to target emotional problems in school-age children. This study aimed to evaluate for the first time, the impact of SSL on various mechanisms associated with emotional symptomatology, including cognitive emotion regulation strategies, selfconcept, and social competence, through a comparative randomized trial. A total of 105 Spanish-speaking children aged 8–12 years (Mage= 9.57, SD= 1.44, 55.24%female) exhibiting emotional symptomswere randomized to either the traditional individual version of SSL (n= 54) or a computerized format (n= 51). Measures of cognitive emotion regulation strategies (Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire), social competence (Social Skills Questionnaire and Social Worries Questionnaire), and self-concept (Self-Concept Form 5) were assessed at pre- and posttest by children. Within- and between-subject analyses were conducted. The results demonstrated improvements in emotional self-concept, social competence, and maladaptive cognitive emotional regulation strategies in both intervention groups. Some differences emerged when comparing the efficacy of one format over the other. This study provides novel evidence of SSL’s efficacy across several cross-disorder mechanisms, contributing to the expanding literature on its effectiveness in reducing and preventing emotional symptomatology. The findings yield practical insights for clinical practice and guide future research to continue exploring how manipulable variables in clinical settings canmediate the development of psychopathology over the long term.