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. 2022 Oct 12:13:1005709.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1005709. eCollection 2022.

The effectiveness of internal cohesion psychotherapy in treating young clients with depression and anxiety disorders: The role of developmental assets in Kosovo context

Fitim Uka  1   2   3 , Shkumbin Gashi  4 , Arlinda Gashi  2 , Diellza Gllogu  2 , Arian Musliu  5   5 , Albina Krasniqi  2 , Albina Statovci  2 , Vanesa Sopjani  2 , Veronë Perçuku  6 , Irma Sadikovic  2 , Nora Wiium  7
Affiliations

The effectiveness of internal cohesion psychotherapy in treating young clients with depression and anxiety disorders: The role of developmental assets in Kosovo context

Fitim Uka et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

The positive youth development approach (PYD) is widely used as a meaningful framework to guide research, policy, and intervention, to support young people to develop their full potential. Psychotherapy, on the other hand, is a verbal and psychological procedure that can be a suitable solution to mental health concerns, which are prevalent among youth. This study aimed to explore the potential role of developmental assets in treating clients with depression and anxiety disorders using Internal Cohesion Psychotherapy (ICP). In total, 10 young people who took at least five sessions of ICP were part of this study. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather information about clients' experiences with ICP and their perception/opinions on the presence of developmental assets in their lives. The results confirm the effectiveness of ICP in treating depression and anxiety, while clients acknowledge the role of developmental assets in their psychotherapeutic process. The current study has important theoretical, practical, and research implications. It provides evidence on how clients use their developmental assets in maximizing the effectiveness of the ICP process. The usage of developmental assets to enhance the effectiveness of psychotherapy opens a new path for further research and can serve as a foundation ground for intervention on mental health among youth.

Keywords: Kosovo; developmental assets; internal cohesion psychotherapy; psychotherapy; youth mental health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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