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.
Novel interventions that overcome limited access to empirically supported psychotherapies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are sorely needed. Couple helping overcome PTSD and enhance relationships (HOPES), a guided, online couple intervention drawing from cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy (CBCT) for PTSD (Monson, 2012), was designed to decrease PTSD symptoms and improve relationship satisfaction. The present study is the first uncontrolled trial of 17 couples in which one partner was a military member, veteran, or first responder and had probable PTSD (PTSD+ partner) based on self-report assessment. Intent-to-intervene analyses revealed significant improvements from pre-to postintervention in PTSD+ partners' self-reported PTSD symptoms (g = .72), as well as their intimate partner's relationship satisfaction (g = .34) and behavioral accommodation of PTSD symptoms (g = .84). There were also significant improvements in PTSD+ partners' depression (g = .43) and perceived relationship arguments (g = .62). There were similar results found in the completer sample. There were no adverse events and high satisfaction with the intervention in those who completed the evaluation. These findings provide additional initial data on the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of Couple HOPES. The similarities of intent-to-intervene and completer results, as well as the need for randomized controlled trial designs to test Couple HOPES, are discussed.
BackgroundRising demand for correctional mental health services (CMHS) in recent decades has been a global phenomenon. Despite increasing research, there are major gaps in understanding the best models for CMHS and how to measure their effectiveness, particularly studies that consider the overall care pathways and effectiveness of service responses. The STAIR (Screening, Triage, Assessment, Intervention, and Re-integration) model is an evidence-based framework that defines and measures CMHS as a clinical pathway with a series of measurable, and linked functions.MethodWe conducted a systematic review of the reviews of CMHS elements employing PRISMA guidelines, organized according to STAIR pillars. We assessed the quality of included studies using the AMSTAR-2 criteria. Narrative reviews were read and results synthesized.ResultsWe included 26 review articles of which 12 were systematic, metaanalyses, and 14 narrative reviews. Two systematic reviews and seven narrative reviews addressed screening and triage with strong evidence to support specific screening and triage systems. There was no evidence for standardised assessment approaches. Eight systematic reviews and seven narrative reviews addressed interventions providing some evidence to support specific psychosocial interventions. Three systematic reviews and six narrative reviews addressed reintegration themes finding relatively weak evidence to support reintegration methods, with interventions often being jurisdictionally specific and lacking generalizability.ConclusionsThe STAIR framework is a useful way to organize the extant literature. More research is needed on interventions, assessment systems, care pathway evaluations, and reintegration models.
Background : Couple HOPES (Helping Overcome PTSD and Enhance Satisfaction) was created to help overcome a range of barriers to accessing psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and commonly associated intimate relationship problems. Objective : Couple HOPES is a guided, online self-help intervention adapted from Cognitive-Behavioural Conjoint Therapy for PTSD that aims to improve PTSD and enhance relationship satisfaction. Method/Results : This paper describes the processes and principles used to develop the Couple HOPES intervention platform as well as the coaching model and manual used to promote engagement and adherence to the intervention. Conclusions : Current research and future directions in testing Couple HOPES are outlined.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.