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STUDY PROTOCOL article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Psychology for Clinical Settings
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1433108

Developing a brief telematic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the treatment of social isolation in young adults

Provisionally accepted
Maria Gloria Rossetti Maria Gloria Rossetti 1,2Cinzia Perlini Cinzia Perlini 3*Girelli Francesca Girelli Francesca 2Niccolò Zovetti Niccolò Zovetti 2*Paolo Brambilla Paolo Brambilla 4,5Bressi Cinzia Bressi Cinzia 4,6Marcella Bellani Marcella Bellani 1
  • 1 Section of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Veneto, Italy
  • 2 Unit of Psychiatry, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata (AOUI) Verona, Verona, Italy, verona, Italy
  • 3 Division of Clinical Psychology, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
  • 4 Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, IRCCS Ca 'Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
  • 5 Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy, Milan, Italy
  • 6 Department of Psychology, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milano, Lombardy, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Objective: The present study aims to present a novel cognitive-behavioral intervention protocol focused on treating social isolation through telematic interaction, thus overcoming common barriers characteristic of face-to-face interventions. Methods: We examined current literature about face-to-face and telematic psychotherapeutic interventions for the treatment of social isolation in early adulthood. Current evidence is mixed, suggesting the need to develop novel interventions focused on patients' cognitive functioning. Moreover, telematic interventions are promising candidates for overcoming common barriers intrinsic to the condition of social isolation. Results: The present 8-session model inspired by cognitive behavioral theoretical models and cognitive interventions currently present in the literature is thought to help socially isolated adult patients reduce clinical symptoms associated with the condition and lead to a reduction in the avoidance of social situations, leading to an improvement of the quality of life. Conclusions: We presented a telematic psychotherapeutic intervention aimed at helping adult patients suffering from social isolation who are unable to seek help from national health systems and face-to-face interventions, thus overcoming barriers intrinsic to social isolation. The present cognitive-behavioral treatment protocol has been developed in the context of a randomized clinical trial ongoing in Italy, aimed at implementing and testing the feasibility and effectiveness of multimodal digital interventions for treating social isolation.

    Keywords: CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), Telemedicine, Social Isolation, Psychoterapy, Telepsychiatry

    Received: 15 May 2024; Accepted: 23 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Rossetti, Perlini, Francesca, Zovetti, Brambilla, Cinzia and Bellani. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Cinzia Perlini, Division of Clinical Psychology, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
    Niccolò Zovetti, Unit of Psychiatry, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata (AOUI) Verona, Verona, Italy, verona, Italy

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.