Pretreatment relationship characteristics predict outcomes from an uncontrolled trial of intensive, multicouple group PTSD treatment
Research Report:
Research SummaryAPA Citation:
Fredman, S. J., Le, Y., Monson, C. M., Mogle, J. A., Macdonald, A., Blount, T. H., …Peterson, A. L. (2024). Pretreatment relationship characteristics predict outcomes from an uncontrolled trial of intensive, multi-couple group PTSD treatment. Journal of Family Psychology, 38(3), 502–509. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001185
Abstract Created by REACH:
Cognitive behavioral conjoint therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (i.e., CBCT for PTSD) aims to reduce symptoms of PTSD and improve relationship functioning by addressing processes that may perpetuate PTSD symptoms, such as partner accommodation (i.e., altering one’s own behavior to minimize partner stress). This study examined whether pretreatment levels of partner accommodation and relationship satisfaction were related to changes in Service member/ Veterans’ (SM/V) and partners’ mental health and relationship satisfaction after a brief, intensive, multicouple adaptation of CBCT for PTSD. 24 couples reported partner accommodation before treatment and their own mental health (i.e., PTSD, depressive, anxiety, and anger symptoms) and relationship satisfaction at pre-treatment, as well as 1- and 3-months post-treatment. In general, both SM/Vs and partners reported reductions in several mental health symptoms. Some outcomes varied based on pretreatment partner accommodation and relationship satisfaction.
Focus:
Couples
Programming
Veterans
Mental health
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Veteran
Subject Affiliation:
Veteran
Spouse of service member or veteran
Active duty service member
Military families
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Methodology:
Longitudinal Study
Quantitative Study
Secondary Analysis
Authors:
Fredman, Steffany J., Le, Yunying, Monson, Candice M., Mogle, Jacqueline A., Macdonald, Alexandra, Blount, Tabatha H., Hall-Clark, Brittany N., Fina, Brooke A., Dondanville, Katherine A., Mintz, Jim, Litz, Brett T., Young-McCaughan, Stacey, Yarvis, Jeffrey S., Keane, Terence M., Peterson, Alan L.
Abstract:
Cognitive behavioral conjoint therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (CBCT for PTSD; Monson & Fredman, 2012) is associated with improvements in patients’ and partners’ mental health and relationship satisfaction. Some pretreatment relationship characteristics have predicted CBCT for PTSD outcomes for patients, but findings were limited to a single community sample consisting primarily of female patients with male partners. A better understanding of whether pretreatment relationship characteristics predict outcomes in other patient populations and whether there are partners who may be particularly responsive to couple therapy for PTSD could optimize treatment matching. This study investigated whether pretreatment partner accommodation and relationship satisfaction predicted patient and partner treatment outcomes from an uncontrolled trial of an abbreviated, intensive, multicouple group version of CBCT for PTSD conducted with 24 active-duty military or veteran couples (96% male patients/female partners). In general, changes in patients’ PTSD and comorbid symptoms and relationship satisfaction did not vary by pretreatment partner accommodation or patients’ own pretreatment relationship satisfaction. In contrast, pretreatment relationship characteristics predicted partner outcomes. Partners who engaged in higher levels of accommodation pretreatment and partners who reported lower levels of pretreatment relationship satisfaction experienced greater declines in psychological distress following treatment. Also, partners who began the study relationally distressed exhibited significant increases in relationship satisfaction following treatment, whereas those who were not relationally distressed did not. Findings suggest that improvements generally do not vary by pretreatment relationship characteristics for patients, whereas partners who begin treatment with elevated relationship risk factors may be especially likely to experience improvement across outcomes.
Publication Type:
Article
REACH Publication
Featured Research
Keywords:
cognitive behavioral conjoint therapy, PTSD, psychological distress
REACH Publication Type:
Research Summary
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