Improvements In Relationship Satisfaction Research Articles

How can I help?: Specific strategies used in interpersonal emotion regulation in a relationship context.

Most emotion regulation research investigates how individuals manage their own emotions but in everyday life, emotion regulation often takes place in an interpersonal context-that is, through the intervention of others, especially close relationship partners. In this manuscript, we describe a 2-week daily diary study of 197 couples, in which we examined the nature and effectiveness of partners' attempts at interpersonal emotion regulation. Organized around the extended process model of emotion regulation (Gross, 2015), we examined the frequency and perceived effectiveness of six strategies for regulating negative emotions and two strategies for regulating positive emotions, as well as the impact of emotional regulation effectiveness on relationship satisfaction. Results indicated that situation modification was the most common approach to regulating negative emotions, whereas savoring was most common for positive emotions. Most strategies were perceived to be effective by both regulators and their targets, with the exception of suppression for negative emotion, for which evidence was mixed, and dampening for positive emotion, which was not viewed as effective. The influence of emotion regulation on relationship satisfaction depended on one's perspective: Regulators felt that their effective efforts benefitted their relationships, but even when targets experienced emotion regulation as effective, they indicated no improvements in relationship satisfaction, perhaps because the emotion-eliciting events were still salient to them. Broadly speaking, this research highlights the value of examining emotion regulation in an interpersonal context, and in the context of partners' ordinary, everyday social interaction. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

An examination of relationship satisfaction as a predictor of outcomes of brief couple therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder.

The pretreatment quality of intimate relationships can promote or interfere with couple therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment response. We tested whether baseline relationship satisfaction predicted clinical and process outcomes in two dyadic treatments for PTSD. Using data from a randomized trial comparing brief cognitive behavioral conjoint therapy (bCBCT) for PTSD to PTSD family education (PFE) among 137 military veterans and their partners (N = 274, Mage = 42.3 years, 46.7% White, 81.0% male veteran partner), we examined whether baseline relationship satisfaction (Couples Satisfaction Index; CSI-32) predicted change in PTSD symptom severity (Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5; CAPS-5), psychosocial functioning (Brief Inventory of Psychosocial Functioning; B-IPF), and relationship satisfaction at posttreatment and 6-month follow-up. We also explored associations with process outcomes (working alliance, treatment satisfaction, dropout). In both treatment conditions, neither partner's baseline CSI-32 score moderated change in veteran CAPS-5 or B-IPF score or any process variable. However, baseline CSI-32 scores moderated both partners' CSI-32 score change during bCBCT and PFE; participants who scored in the distressed range at baseline (n = 123) experienced significant improvements in relationship satisfaction, β = .199, whereas there was no change among those in the nondistressed range at baseline (n = 151), β = .025. Results suggest bCBCT and PFE are effective in improving PTSD symptoms and psychosocial functioning regardless of whether a couple is experiencing clinically significant relationship distress; further, these treatments improve relationship satisfaction for the most distressed individuals.

Pilot test of intranasal oxytocin as an enhancer of brief couples therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) negatively impacts military veterans and their intimate partners. Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy (CBCT) was developed to address both PTSD and relationship satisfaction among couples. Although efficacious in improving PTSD, the effects of CBCT and the 8-session brief CBCT (bCBCT) on relationship satisfaction among veteran patients with PTSD are modest. Pharmacological augmentation with the neuropeptide oxytocin is promising for enhancing bCBCT's potency due to its effects on mechanisms of trauma recovery (e.g., extinction learning) and relationship functioning (e.g., trust, communication). The goal of this pilot uncontrolled clinical trial was to examine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of bCBCT augmented with intranasal oxytocin for improving PTSD and relationship satisfaction among 10 U.S. veterans with PTSD and their intimate partners. Veterans self-administered 40 international units of intranasal oxytocin 30 min before each bCBCT session delivered to the couple via telehealth. Both partners completed pre-assessment, weekly, post, and 3-month follow-up assessments of PTSD symptoms and relationship satisfaction. Couples also provided qualitative feedback related to feasibility and engagement. Nine dyads completed the treatment. There were no serious adverse events. Veterans and partners reported moderate to large effect size improvements in relationship satisfaction (Hedge's g = 0.55 and 1.01, respectively). Veterans reported large effect size reductions in PTSD severity (Hedge's g = 1.87). These results suggest that virtual oxytocin-assisted bCBCT is feasible, scalable, potentially efficacious, and should be tested with a placebo-controlled randomized controlled trial.

Subjective emotion trajectories in couple therapy and associations with improvement in relationship satisfaction.

Existing couple therapies are generally effective for reducing romantic relationship distress and divorce, but therapy outcomes remain poor for many. Outcomes can be improved through greater understanding of session-by-session therapeutic processes, particularly in real-world treatment settings. Modern couple therapy models commonly emphasize the importance of emotional experiences as key change processes, yet few empirical studies have tested the merits of this focus. The present study addresses this limitation by examining trajectories of subjective emotions and their association with change in a key relationship outcome, relationship satisfaction, among military veterans and their partners at a VA Medical Center. Partners rated their relationship satisfaction prior to couple therapy sessions and subjective emotions immediately after sessions. Consistent with hypotheses, both hard (e.g., anger) and soft (e.g., sadness) negative emotions decreased significantly over the course of therapy. Those couples with greater decreases in hard negative, but not soft negative, emotions showed significantly more improvement in relationship satisfaction. Positive emotions did not significantly change across couples in general, but those couples whose positive emotions did increase also showed more improvement in relationship satisfaction. These results suggest change in subjective emotions may be one process underlying improvement in couple therapy and lend empirical support to the emphasis on emotion-based change processes underlying acceptance-based and emotion-focused couple therapies.

Behavioral couples therapy for brain injury: single case methodology with bi-phasic design

ABSTRACT Objectives To explore the outcomes of Behavioral Couples Therapy (BCT) for couples with brain injury. Background Brain injury can result in communication, emotional and behavioral disturbances, leading to higher levels of depression, anxiety and relationship distress. Currently, no study has explored the outcomes of BCT in couples impacted by brain injury. Method Four heterosexual couples living with brain injury were seen at a specialist outpatient service, and attended an average of 13 (range 8–25) BCT sessions. Participants with brain injury and their partners completed weekly measures of depression, anxiety, and couple satisfaction throughout baseline, assessment, intervention, and follow-up phases. Data were visually analyzed, and effects examined using reliable change analysis, and between-phase comparison conducted using Tau-U. Results Tau-U analysis demonstrated that both the patient and partner groups experienced significant overall improvement in relationship satisfaction and anxiety. Partners also reported significant reduction in depression scores overall. Reliable change analysis indicated improvement for some individual patients and partners, with effects maintained at follow-up in some cases. Conclusions The results offer promising results regarding the use of BCT for brain injury in increasing relationship satisfaction and reducing psychological distress. Further investigation is warranted.

Couples Therapy Delivered Through Videoconferencing: Effects on Relationship Outcomes, Mental Health and the Therapeutic Alliance.

Changing technology, and the pervasive demand created by a greater need in the population for access to mental health interventions, has led to the development of technologies that are shifting the traditional way in which therapy is provided. This study investigated the efficacy of a behavioral couples therapy program conducted via videoconferencing, as compared to face-to-face. There were 60 participants, in couples, ranging in age from 21 to 69 years old. Couples had been in a relationship for between 1 to 49 years. The 30 couples were randomly allocated to the face-to-face or videoconferencing group. They all took part in Couple CARE—a couples behavioral education program which promotes self-change in order to increase relationship satisfaction. The six session manualized intervention was offered in an identical manner to all clients, in each condition. Data analysis was based on several questionnaires completed by each couple at pre, post and 3-months follow-up. Results showed that therapeutic alliance ratings did not differ between groups, but increased significantly over time for both groups. Additionally, the results indicated improvements in relationship satisfaction, mental health, and all other outcome scores over time, which did not differ based on condition. This study uniquely contributes to the literature exploring the use of technology to provide therapy. Specifically, the study provides evidence for couples therapy via videoconferencing as a viable alternative to face-to-face interventions, especially for those couples who may not have access to the treatment they require. It is anticipated that the results of this study will contribute to the field of online therapy, and add to fostering confidence in agencies to allow expansion of services conducted via videoconferencing.

Initial outcomes of couple HOPES: A guided online couple intervention for PTSD and relationship enhancement

Couple HOPES (Helping Overcome PTSD and Enhance Satisfaction) is a guided, online couple intervention adapted from Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It was created to overcome a range of barriers to accessing evidence-based treatments for PTSD and the intimate relationship problems associated with it. This manuscript describes initial outcomes of the intervention in a series of 10 couples. Participants were military, veteran and first responders with probable PTSD and their intimate partners. Couples completed the program and measurements of PTSD, relationship satisfaction, and secondary outcomes at pre-, mid-, and post-intervention. Mean satisfaction for the program was high and it was completed by seven of ten couples. Participants with PTSD evidenced significant and large pre- to post-intervention effect size improvements in PTSD symptoms (g = 0.80) and perceived health (g = 1.13). They also exhibited non-significant but medium effect size pre- to post-intervention improvements in quality of life (g = 0.62), and depression (g = 0.53), and small effect size pre- to post-intervention improvements in argumentativeness (g = 0.43), anger (g = 0.31), and anxiety (g = 0.31). Partners reported significant and moderate pre- to post-intervention effect size improvements in relationship satisfaction (g = 0.68), and medium but not significant effect size improvements in accommodation of PTSD (g = 0.56). Results provide initial support for the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of Couple HOPES for improving PTSD and relationship satisfaction. However, more testing in larger samples, including with randomized controlled designs, is needed.

Efficacy of the web-based PaarBalance program on relationship satisfaction, depression and anxiety – A randomized controlled trial

ObjectiveAlthough relationship distress is strongly associated with mental health problems, poorer social functioning and lower quality of life, only a minority of distressed couples engage in effective couples therapy. Common barriers are the financial burden, fear of being stigmatized, long waitlists and logistical concerns, such as the difficulty in scheduling appointments. Therefore, more accessible help for relationship distress is needed, such as internet-based interventions. MethodThis study evaluates the efficacy of the German web-based PaarBalance program, an 18-sessions online program for couples and individuals in an intimate relationship. Participants with relationship distress recruited via the internet had access to the unguided self-help program for twelve weeks. A total of 117 individuals (N = 60 participated as couples, N = 57 participated without a partner) were randomly assigned to begin the intervention immediately or to a 12-week waitlist control group. The primary outcome was relationship satisfaction. Secondary outcomes included symptoms of depression and anxiety. ResultsThe intervention group showed significant improvement in relationship satisfaction (Cohen's d =0.77) compared with the waitlist control group. Small to medium effect sizes in favor of the intervention group, but no statistically significant differences were found regarding depression (d = 0.43) and anxiety (d = 0.45). ConclusionPaarBalance seems to be an effective self-guided intervention to improve relationship satisfaction in people with relationship problems.

An Uncontrolled Trial of Flexibly Delivered Relationship Education with Low-Income, Unmarried Perinatal Couples.

To examine couple and parenting outcomes from an American version of Couple CARE for Parents (CCP) in low-income, unmarried couples. We adapted an evidence-based, flexibly delivered program for use with low-income, unmarried couples, for whom the outcome literature is scarce. Couples (n = 443) were recruited from maternity units and began CCP. They completed measures before, during, and immediately after the intervention, and 6 months later. Moderate psychological intimate partner violence (IPV) declined and perceived parenting efficacy increased over time; there was no change in severe psychological or physical IPV. Individuals with lower levels of relationship commitment than their partners showed improvement in relationship satisfaction, whereas those with similar or higher levels of commitment maintained their baseline levels despite being in a period of expected satisfaction decline. CCP showed some signs of helping low-income couples during a stressful period and its flexible service delivery model allowed these couples to participate by reducing the impediments of transportation challenges, conflicting work schedules, and overall time poverty. Practitioners interested in using CCP with low-income couples would likely maximize the impact by (a) focusing on pregnant, first-time parents; (b) integrating CCP within post-natal healthcare; and/or (c) assuming that a considerable minority of couples will avail themselves of only up to two sessions, and thus practitioners should front-load content, making other content optional or just-in-time. In addition, non-psychoeducational elements (e.g., gamification, easy computerized tasks to reduce angry responses, watching couple-themed movies) could enliven preventative offerings for perinatal couples.

A Novel Couple-Based Intervention for Chronic Pain and Relationship Distress: A Pilot Study.

Chronic pain contributes to psychological and relationship distress in individuals with pain as well as their partners. Prior pain interventions have addressed this important social context by engaging partners in treatment; however, partners have not been considered co-participants who can benefit directly from therapy, but rather incorporated as pain management coaches or guides. This manuscript assesses the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a novel intervention which targets both partners and focuses on improving well-being in couples in which one or both partners experiences chronic pain and relationship distress. Fifteen couples participated in Mindful Living and Relating, a 6-session in-person intervention, and completed baseline and post-treatment outcome measures. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to evaluate participants' engagement in and experiences of the intervention, as well as preliminary outcomes. Results suggest that couples were engaged in, and reported satisfaction with, the treatment. Participants who completed the therapy (N = 28; 14 couples) reported reductions in depressive symptoms and improvements in relationship satisfaction and partner responsiveness, and individuals with pain reported reductions in pain interference. In post-treatment interviews, couples reported their preference for couple therapy over individual therapy for pain and relationship distress. Although the conduct of the therapy was feasible for couples who enrolled in the trial, initial recruitment difficulties suggested feasibility challenges. Recommendations are made for researchers who are interested in designing psychological interventions to improve quality of life in the context of chronic illness.

Improvements in coparenting conflict and child adjustment following an online program for relationship distress.

Many children never receive treatment for their mental health symptoms-and those that do often receive it only after years of delay. Given that relationship and parenting conflict is an identified mechanism of child mental health symptoms, reducing distress in the parents' romantic relationship may help reduce this unmet need. In the current study, 213 couples with 1 or more children between the ages of 3 and 17 (inclusive) were randomized to receive the web-based OurRelationship program or to a 2-month waitlist condition. Intervention couples were also assessed in the year following the program. Couples in the OurRelationship program experienced a significant decrease in coparenting conflict during the intervention (Cohen's d = -0.27) but also a significant increase in coparenting conflict in the following year, reducing the long-term effects of the intervention (within-group d = -0.20 at 1-year follow-up compared with baseline). Additionally, parent-reported children's externalizing (within-group d = -0.40) and internalizing (within-group d = -0.27) symptoms significantly decreased from baseline to the 1-year follow-up. As hypothesized, improvement in relationship satisfaction during the program was significantly associated with a decrease in coparenting conflict which, in turn, was associated with reduction in both externalizing and internalizing symptoms in the children. These results indicate that online relationship-focused interventions offer an important, adjunctive approach to meet society's need for reducing children's mental health symptoms. Furthermore, the improvements in child functioning strengthen the evidence suggesting the cost-effectiveness of these relationship-focused interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Telephone-based behavioral activation intervention for dementia family caregivers: Outcomes and mediation effect of a randomized controlled trial

ObjectivesThe study examined the effects of a telephone-administered psycho-education with behavioral activation intervention (TBA) for family caregivers of person’s with Alzheimer’s dementia to reduce levels of depressive symptoms and burden and to enhance relationship satisfaction with the care-recipient MethodsA double-blinded randomized trial compared TBA with telephone-based psycho-education with general monitoring (TGM). Ninety-six dementia caregivers were randomized. Both conditions received four weekly psycho-education sessions led by a social worker. TBA participants then received eight bi-weekly behavioral activation practice sessions delivered by paraprofessionals. TGM participants received eight bi-weekly monitoring sessions by paraprofessionals. ResultsAs compared to TGM, TBA participants reported significantly larger reductions in depressive symptoms and burden and larger improvement in relationship satisfaction. Self-efficacy for controlling upsetting thoughts was found to have a partial meditation effect between TBA and the reduction of depressive symptoms. Qualitative feedback suggested that TBA participants expressed unique gains in awareness and developing new ways of reappraising the caregiving situation. ConclusionTBA was an effective intervention to reduce depressive symptoms and burden as well as to enhance relationship satisfaction in dementia caregivers. Practice implicationsThe use of telephone and trained paraprofessionals can enhance the accessibility and sustainability of behavioral activation intervention for dementia family caregivers.

Is Online Treatment as Effective as In-Person Treatment?: Psychological Change in Two Relationship Skills Groups.

Psychotherapy has undergone a widespread change recently, with many interventions now available as wireless device apps or online courses. The current study compared the efficacy of an online program with a personal group treatment intervention. The in-person group (n = 37) attended a 6-day workshop called Tapping Deep Intimacy that focused on the development of interpersonal skills. The online group (n = 37) consumed to the same information in the form of a 12-week online course. The content of both courses was drawn from the curriculum for Whole Energy Lifestyle, which trains participants in 12 evidence-based interpersonal and stress-reduction skills designed to reduce emotional triggering and promote health. These include mindfulness, breathwork, meditation (EcoMeditation), heart coherence, Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques, active listening, and qigong. In both groups, depression, anxiety, and relationship satisfaction were assessed pre, post, and at 1-year follow-up. Anxiety reduced in the in-person but not the online group. Significant improvements in depression (p < 0.001) were found in both groups, although sharper symptom declines were found in the in-person group. A 29% improvement in relationship satisfaction was found in both groups (p < 0.003), and both maintained their gains over time. Anxiety and depression symptoms were much higher in the in-person group pretest despite similar demographic characteristics, suggesting differences in the population that uses online courses. These preliminary findings suggest that while online programs may play a role in the development of stress-reduction and interpersonal skills, it cannot be assumed that they mirror the therapeutic efficacy of in-person treatment in every dimension.

A randomized controlled trial of different levels of coach support in an online intervention for relationship distress

Recently-developed online interventions for relationship distress show promising results; however, the degree to which paraprofessionals need to be involved with web-based interventions for relationship distress remains unclear. The present study sought to determine if varying levels of coach contact moderated gains during the online OurRelationship program, which was previously shown to be effective by Doss and colleagues (2016). Three hundred fifty-six heterosexual couples (712 individuals) enrolled in the OurRelationship program and were randomized to a Low or High coach support condition. Couples in both conditions experienced significant improvements in relationship satisfaction as well as depressive and anxious symptoms (within-group d = 0.43–0.71). Using intent-to-treat analyses, there were no significant differences over the intervention between groups in improvements in relationship satisfaction or depressive symptoms. However, couples in the high-support condition reported significantly greater decreases in anxious symptoms. Furthermore, couples in the low-support group were significantly more likely to drop out prematurely. Overall, results indicated that minimal coach support may be a viable option to facilitate dissemination of online interventions for relationship distress. This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03332875).

Do heterosexual couples with children benefit equally from relationship education programs despite various backgrounds? Effects of a Danish version of the Prevention and Relationship Education Program (PREP)

Little is known on whether the effects of marriage education programs such as the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP) hold across genders or are moderated by risk factors (participants’ parents’ relationship instability, participants’ low level of education, being unmarried, previous relationship counseling, who initiated program participation, having many children). This trial of 889 participants revealed medium to large improvements in relationship satisfaction and communication from baseline to posttest. Only a few tentative moderating factors were identified. Women who were at risk, as indicated by previous relationship counseling, even caught up with others without such risk at the outset. However, men with little higher education did not improve on all measures. Thus, overall, PREP appears applicable for the prevention of intimate relationship problems in a broad range of circumstances. One of the strengths of this study includes the examination of PREP effects in a real-life application across an entire Scandinavian country.

Results of Gottman Method Couples Therapy with Gay and Lesbian Couples.

The results of an uncontrolled study of Gottman Method Couples Therapy in changing relationship satisfaction with 106 gay and lesbian couples is reported in this paper. Measurement of relationship satisfaction was conducted at five separate time points. The data show significant improvements in relationship satisfaction following eleven sessions of therapy for both gay male and lesbian couples. Effect sizes suggest that this therapy was highly effective, compared to the usual 0.5 standard deviation effect size in couples therapy. Initial co-morbidities did not affect the size of the changes; in fact, some changes were significantly larger for three initial co-morbidities.

Long-Term Effectiveness of Treatment-as-Usual Couple Therapy for Military Veterans

Despite the fact that veterans face increased psychological and relationship distress as a result of their service-related experiences, no study to date has explored the long-term effectiveness of couple therapy for veterans. In the present investigation, 238 individuals (113 couples and 12 additional individuals) completed assessments 18 months after termination of treatment-as-usual couple therapy at two Veteran Administration Medical Centers. From pretreatment to 18-month follow-up, couples experienced significant increases in relationship satisfaction (d = 0.59) and significant decreases in both psychological distress (d = -0.31) and presence of intimate partner violence (d = -0.47). Overall, pretreatment demographic, psychological, and relationship characteristics did not significantly moderate maintenance of gains across 18 months. However, African American individuals (d = -0.58) and individuals not reporting intimate partner violence at pretreatment (d = -0.46) experienced smaller improvements in relationship satisfaction through 18-month follow-up. Further, older participants showed smaller reductions in psychological symptoms 18 months after treatment (d = 0.16). Thus, for many veterans and their spouses, treatment-as-usual couple therapy is effective at intervening in psychological and relationship distress long-term. Moreover, the long-term effectiveness of couple therapy with veterans appears to generalize across many demographic, intrapersonal, and interpersonal factors.

Intimacy after prostate cancer: A brief couples' workshop is associated with improvements in relationship satisfaction.

Prostate cancer (PCa) treatments often leave men with erectile dysfunction (ED). Even when ED treatments are effective in restoring men's ability to have an erection sufficient for intercourse, couples continue to struggle sexually. Effective treatments to help couples recover sexually are needed. PCa patients and partners (N = 59 couples) attending a one-time couples' intimacy workshop, participated in an evaluation. The workshop, offered eight times over a 2-year period, emphasized a couples-based approach to treatment that enhances direct communication about sexuality and implementation of sexual recovery strategies that are consistent with the couple's values. Couples completed pre and post questionnaires (at baseline and 2months later) assessing the primary outcome of relationship adjustment (Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale) and secondary outcome of sexual function (Sexual Function Questionnaire). T-tests were employed to examine pre-post changes in scores. A small qualitative sub-study was conducted on the use of a Commitment to Change goal-setting exercise, completed during the workshop. Results provide insight into the specific nature of improvements. Patients and partners showed improvements in relationship satisfaction. Improvements with small-to-medium effect sizes were observed for patients and partners sexual function; however, after adjusting for multiple comparisons, these changes were no longer statistically significant. The specific goals set by couples, and their achievement status, are presented. The workshop offers a comprehensive, one-session intervention to help couples implement a treatment plan to promote sexual recovery after PCa treatment. Given the observed improvements, progression to a randomized control trial is warranted. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A randomized controlled trial of the web-based OurRelationship program: Effects on relationship and individual functioning.

Within the United States, one third of married couples are distressed and almost half of first marriages (and more than half of unmarried cohabiting relationships) end in divorce/separation. Additionally, relationship distress has been linked to mental and physical health problems in partners and their children. Although couple therapy is effective in reducing relationship distress, it is utilized by less than one third of divorcing couples. Therefore, more accessible interventions for relationship distress are needed. This study tests the efficacy of the OurRelationship program, an 8-hr online program adapted from an empirically based, in-person couple therapy. In the program, couples complete online activities and have 4 15-min calls with project staff. Nationwide, 300 heterosexual couples (N = 600 participants) participated; couples were generally representative of the US in terms of race, ethnicity, and education. Couples were randomly assigned to begin the program immediately or to a 2-month waitlist control group. Compared to the waitlist group, intervention couples reported significant improvements in relationship satisfaction (Cohen's d = 0.69), relationship confidence (d = 0.47), and negative relationship quality (d = 0.57). Additionally, couples reported significant improvements in multiple domains of individual functioning, especially when individuals began the program with difficulties in that domain: depressive (d = 0.71) and anxious symptoms (d = 0.94), perceived health (d = 0.51), work functioning (d = 0.57), and quality of life (d = 0.44). In a nationally representative sample of couples, the OurRelationship program was effective in significantly improving both relationship and individual functioning, suggesting it can substantially increase the reach of current interventions through its low-cost, Web-based format.

A randomized pilot trial of a videoconference couples communication intervention for advanced GI cancer.

This study aims to test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a couple-based communication intervention for advanced GI cancer delivered via videoconference. Thirty-two couples were randomly assigned to either couples communication skills training (CCST) or an education comparison intervention, both delivered via videoconference. Participation was limited to couples who reported communication difficulties at screening. Patients and partners completed measures of relationship functioning and individual functioning at baseline and post-intervention. Eighty-eight percent of randomized dyads completed all six sessions and reported high levels of satisfaction with the intervention. Between-group effect sizes suggested that the CCST intervention led to improvements in relationship satisfaction for patients and partners and to improvements in intimacy and communication for patients. A couples-based communication intervention delivered via videoconference is feasible and acceptable in the context of advanced cancer. Preliminary findings suggest that the intervention shows promise in contributing to enhanced relationship functioning. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.