Classroom-based transdiagnostic intervention reduces anxiety and depression in university students with elevated symptoms

A randomized controlled trial evaluated a classroom-based transdiagnostic preventive intervention in 220 university students. The study compared the intervention to a control group, with outcomes focused on emotional symptoms (anxiety and depression) and emotional regulation strategies. The intervention was delivered in university environments.

The main results showed the intervention was effective in reducing emotional symptoms compared to the control group, but this effect was observed only in the subsample of students with elevated baseline symptoms. The intervention was not effective in improving emotional regulation strategies compared to control. Specific effect sizes, absolute numbers, p-values, and confidence intervals for these outcomes were not reported.

Safety and tolerability data, including adverse events and discontinuations, were not reported. Key study limitations were also not reported. The RCT design supports causal inference for the reported outcomes within the study context, but the effectiveness was limited to students with elevated symptoms and did not extend to improving emotional regulation strategies.

For practice, the findings suggest application at the classroom level may benefit university students with moderate or severe emotional symptoms, but not as a universal intervention for a wide range of baseline symptom levels. The lack of effect on emotional regulation strategies and unreported safety data warrant caution.