Couples and Trauma History: A Descriptive Overview of Interpersonal Trauma and Clinical Outcomes

Abstract

While it is likely that Couple and Family Therapists will treat clients with interpersonal trauma history, not much is known about how interpersonal trauma history associates with the therapy process in couple and family therapy settings. The aims of this study were twofold: (1) describe the types of interpersonal trauma that couples, seeking treatment for relationship issues, have experienced, and (2) investigate how this history of interpersonal trauma was associated with the process of treatment, including therapeutic alliance, number of sessions attended, and termination status. Data were collected through a survey distributed upon consent at an on-campus couple and family therapy clinic. Participants included 73 couples who were assessed for physical abuse, sexual abuse, and experiences of abandonment using Carlson et al.’s (Psychol Assessment 23(2):463, Carlson et al., Psychological assessment 23:463, 2011) Trauma History Screen. Using content analysis, responses were categorized into three groups: both partners, only one partner, and no partners reported having experienced an interpersonal trauma. Results revealed that just under 50% of individuals had experienced some type of interpersonal trauma, affecting 71.2% of couples. Quantitative analyses were conducted to assess for significant differences, and effect sizes, among trauma categories in terms of number of sessions attended, termination status, and therapeutic alliance. Results suggested that couples who had previously experienced interpersonal trauma, particularly when both partners reported interpersonal trauma, may be more likely to terminate without agreement or no-show. Future researchers should continue to investigate how the presence of interpersonal trauma in dyads associates with the therapeutic process and clinical outcomes to better inform couples’ therapy treatment.