https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Fredman2021

Fredman, S. J., Le, Y., MacDonald, A., Monson, C. M., Rhoades, G. K., Dondanville, K. A., Blount, T. H., Hall-Clark, B. N., Fina, B. A., Mintz, J. Litz, B. T., Young-McCaughan, Jenkins, A. I. C., Yarvis, J. S., Keane, T. M., Peterson, A. L. (2021). A closer examination of relational outcomes from a pilot study of Abbreviated, Intensive, Multi-Couple Group Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD with military dyads. Family Process, 60(3), 712-726. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12654

This pilot study examined whether a brief, couple-focused intervention to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could improve indicators of relationship functioning. These indicators included ineffective arguing, supportive partner coping (i.e., feeling your partner tries to be helpful when you are stressed), cooperative coping (i.e., feeling you and your partner work well as a team when you are both stressed), and partner accommodating behavior (i.e., avoiding events or emotional expression to prevent negative reactions in a person with PTSD). Over a single weekend, 24 Service members/Veterans and their romantic partners participated in couple-focused group intervention which provided education on PTSD, communication skills, conflict management, and accommodation. Couples reported on relationship functioning before the intervention and at one- and three-month follow-ups. After the intervention, Service members and Veterans generally reported more relationship improvements than their partners.

https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12654

Couples
Mental health
Programming
Trauma
Veterans

Army

Active Duty
Veteran

Active duty service member
Other
Spouse of service member or veteran
Veteran

Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)

Longitudinal Study
Quantitative Study
Secondary Analysis

Fredman, Steffany J., Le, Yunying, Macdonald, Alexandra, Monson, Candice M., Rhoades, Galena K., Dondanville, Katherine A., Blount, Tabatha H., Hall‐Clark, Brittany N., Fina, Brooke A., Mintz, Jim, Litz, Brett T., Young‐McCaughan, Stacey, Jenkins, August I. C., Yarvis, Jeffrey S., Keane, Terence M., Peterson, Alan L.

Cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (CBCT for PTSD) is associated with improvements in patients’ PTSD symptoms, partners’ psychological distress, and relationship satisfaction. However, little is known about whether CBCT for PTSD is associated with changes in other relationship domains that have theoretical and clinical relevance to the relational context of PTSD. The current study is a secondary analysis of relational outcomes from an uncontrolled, within-group trial designed to examine whether an abbreviated, intensive, multi-couple group version of CBCT for PTSD (AIM-CBCT for PTSD) delivered in a retreat during a single weekend was associated with improvements in PTSD symptoms and relationship satisfaction. In this investigation, we examined whether AIM-CBCT for PTSD is also associated with improvements in ineffective arguing, supportive dyadic coping by partner, joint dyadic coping, and partners’ accommodation of patients’ PTSD symptoms. Participants were 24 couples who included a post-9/11 U.S. service member or veteran with PTSD. At 1- and 3-month follow-up, patients reported significant reductions in couples’ ineffective arguing (ds = −.71 and −.78, respectively) and increases in supportive dyadic coping by partners relative to baseline (ds = .50 and .44, respectively). By 3-month follow-up, patients also reported significant increases in couples’ joint dyadic coping (d = .57), and partners reported significant reductions in their accommodation of patients’ PTSD symptoms (d = −.44). Findings suggest that AIM-CBCT for PTSD is associated with improvements in multiple relationship domains beyond relationship satisfaction but that these may be differentially salient for patients and partners.

John Wiley & Sons

Article
REACH Publication

Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, SJF
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, YL
Department of Psychology, The Citadel, Military College of South Carolina, AM
Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, CMM
Department of Psychology, University of Denver, GKR
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, KAD
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, THB
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, BNHC
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, BAF
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, JM
Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, BTL
Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, BTL
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, SYM
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, AICJ
Department of Behavioral Health, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, JSY
Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, TMK
Behavioral Science Division, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, TMK
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, ALP
Research and Development Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, ALP
Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, ALP