Effectiveness of the implementation of transdiagnostic PsicAP-CV protocol for anxiety and depression in primary care: A Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomised Trial

Abstract

Anxiety and depressive disorders represent a public health challenge, with high prevalence rates and considerable impact on quality of life (QoL) and functioning. Despite evidence supporting the efficacy of transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural therapy (TD-CBT), its implementation in settings such as primary care (PC) remains limited. The aim of this paper is to analyse the results of the PsicAP-CV, a clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness and implementation of TD-CBT in the PC setting. These findings confirm the efficacy of TD-CBT for treating common mental disorders in PC and point to SW-CRT designs as a feasible and ethically sound avenue for implementing and scaling these evidence-based interventions within public health systems. They also support the broader integration of psychologists into PC, thus offering a scalable model that can significantly improve access to and outcomes of mental health care. Trial registration: EURADICT 2013-001955-11/ISRCTN58437086.