{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]],"date-time":"2026-09-08T09:09:10Z","timestamp":1788858550233,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]],"date-time":"2026-09-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788825600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Med. Sci.","Medical Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Brief psychotherapies have been shown to improve clinical symptoms within a limited number of sessions without compromising treatment quality. Objectives: This study aims to test the effects of the experimental Behavioral Analysis Therapy of Feelings (BATF) in a randomized controlled trial design. Methods: This randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded clinical trial compares BATF with Brief Focal Psychotherapy in individuals presenting symptoms of anxiety and\/or depression. Participants with substance use disorders, tobacco or alcohol use, pregnancy, or use of oral contraceptives will be excluded. Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio with stratification by clinical condition. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, Week 4, and Week 13 using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Montgomery\u2013\u00c5sberg Depression Rating Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. In addition to clinical outcomes, exploratory salivary and blood biomarkers associated with stress, inflammation, and neurobiological function will be evaluated. The trial is registered in the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (RBR-10p45rdg) and has Universal Trial Number U1111-1313-4499. Conclusions: This protocol describes a randomized controlled trial comparing BATF with Brief Focal Psychotherapy. The study is designed to generate preliminary evidence on the effects of the intervention in anxiety and depressive symptoms.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medsci14050551","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]],"date-time":"2026-09-08T08:10:22Z","timestamp":1788855022000},"page":"551","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Comparative Effects of Behavioral Analysis Therapy of Feelings and Brief Focal Psychotherapy: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Assessor-Blinded Clinical Trial"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-2724-5091","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manoel Victor Fernandes","family":"Marques","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"2nd Floor, Center for Health Sciences, Health Campus, Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Av. Gal. Gustavo Cordeiro de Farias, s\/n, Natal 59012-570, RN, Brazil"},{"name":"Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Laboratory (UFRN-CNPq), Postgraduate Program in Public Health, Campus Lagoa Nova, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2001-4536","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emerson Arcoverde","family":"Nunes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Medicine, Hospital Universit\u00e1rio Onofre Lopes (HUOL), Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Brazilian Hospital Services Company (EBSERH), Av. Nilo Pe\u00e7anha, 620, Petr\u00f3polis, Natal 59012-300, RN, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-1704-4825","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rodrigo Costa","family":"de Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Medicine, Hospital Universit\u00e1rio Onofre Lopes (HUOL), Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Brazilian Hospital Services Company (EBSERH), Av. Nilo Pe\u00e7anha, 620, Petr\u00f3polis, Natal 59012-300, RN, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4887-8635","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicole Leite Galv\u00e3o","family":"Coelho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiology and Behavior, Center of Biosciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Av. Sen. 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