Transdiagnostic models of anxiety disorder: Theoretical and empirical underpinnings

•Provides a review on the theoretical underpinnings of transdiagnostic models of anxiety•Reviews epidemiological, genetic, neurobiological, developmental, behavioral, cognitive and treatment outcome literatures•Presents transdiagnostic model of anxiety•Discusses key future research directions for both transdiagnostic models.

Despite the increasing development, evaluation, and adoption of transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapies, relatively little has been written to detail the conceptual and empirical psychopathology framework underlying transdiagnostic models of anxiety and related disorders. In this review, the diagnostic, genetic, neurobiological, developmental, behavioral, cognitive, and interventional data underlying the model are described, with an emphasis on highlighting elements that both support and contradict transdiagnostic conceptualizations. Finally, a transdiagnostic model of anxiety disorder is presented and key areas of future evaluation and refinement are discussed.