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Journal of Beijing Normal University(Social Sciences) ›› 2026, Vol. 0 ›› Issue (2): 85-97.

• Psychology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Evidence-Based Interventions for Common Mental Health Comorbidities in Children and Adolescents:From Disorder-Specific Protocols to Transdiagnostic Protocols

HE Qianyun1, QIN Yiming2, QU Zhiyong3   

  1. 1. School of Government,BNU,Beijing 100875;
    2. Behavioral Health Research Center,BNU,Beijing 100875;
    3. School of Sociology,BNU,Beijing 100875,China
  • Online:2026-03-25 Published:2026-04-16

Abstract: Children and adolescents often present with multiple psychological comorbidities such as depression,anxiety,and post-traumatic stress disorder,posing significant challenges to traditional single-diagnosis-based intervention models.Drawing on a review of relevant studies at home and abroad,this article focuses on two intervention approaches.The first comprises disorder-specific protocols developed for a single presenting problem,with particular attention to their spillover effects on comorbid symptoms.The second comprises transdiagnostic interventions,including unified protocols based on mechanisms shared across comorbid conditions and individualized approaches built on evidence-based modules.Available evidence suggests that disorder-specific protocols show clear efficacy for target disorders,yet in high-comorbidity contexts they are often constrained by limited scope and relatively high resource demands.By contrast,transdiagnostic interventions show promise in improving depression,anxiety,trauma-related stress,and some externalizing problems concurrently.Among them,compared with the Modular Approach to Therapy for Children with Anxiety,Depression,Trauma,or Conduct Problems,the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents appears to offer advantages in structural clarity and dissemination feasibility.In light of China's cultural context and mental health service system,this article discusses pathways for localizing transdiagnostic interventions,with the aim of informing the development of an integrated child and adolescent psychological intervention system that is both scientifically grounded and practically feasible.

Key words: children and adolescents, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, comorbidities, transdiagnostic intervention

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