Emotionally focused marital intervention for couples with chronically ill children.
Couples with chronically ill children are at risk for experiencing marital stress. The present study was a randomized control trial that assessed the efficacy of emotionally focused therapy (EFT) in decreasing marital distress in this population of couples. Thirty-two couples with chronically ill children seen at a tertiary care pediatric hospital were randomly assigned to EFT or to a waitlist control group. EFT couples demonstrated significant decreases in marital distress at posttreatment and at a 5-month follow-up in comparison to controls. Clinical improvements in marital functioning following EFT were also demonstrated.
Department of Psychology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Canada.
J G
JG
Walker
S
S
Johnson
I
I
Manion
P
P
Cloutier
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008388:Marital Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment