Learning sobriety together: A randomized clinical trial examining behavioral couples therapy with alcoholic female patients.
Married or cohabiting female alcoholic patients (n = 138) and their non-substance-abusing male partners were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 equally intensive interventions: (a) behavioral couples therapy plus individual-based treatment (BCT; n = 46), (b) individual-based treatment only (IBT; n = 46), or (c) psychoeducational attention control treatment (PACT; n = 46). During treatment, participants in BCT showed significantly greater improvement in dyadic adjustment than those in IBT or PACT; drinking frequency was not significantly different among participants in the different conditions. During the 1-year posttreatment follow-up, compared with participants who received IBT or PACT, participants who received BCT reported (a) fewer days of drinking, (b) fewer drinking-related negative consequences, (c) higher dyadic adjustment, and (d) reduced partner violence.
Fals-Stewart
William
W
Addiction and Family Research Group, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
Birchler
Gary R
GR
Kelley
Michelle L
ML
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000628:therapy*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D019546:Couples Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012919:Social Behavior; D013695:Temperance