Abstract
Objectives
This study aimed to (1) examine the efficacy of a treatment to enhance a couple’s
relationship after brain injury particularly in relationship satisfaction and communication;
and (2) determine couples’ satisfaction with this type of intervention.
Design
Randomized waitlist-controlled trial.
Setting
Midwestern outpatient brain injury rehabilitation center.
Participants
Participants (N=44; 22 persons with brain injury and their intimate partners) were
randomized by couples to the intervention or waitlist-controlled group, with 11 couples
in each group.
Interventions
The Couples Caring and Relating with Empathy intervention is a 16-week, 2-hour, manualized
small group treatment utilizing psychoeducation, affect recognition, empathy training,
cognitive-behavioral and dialectical-behavioral strategies, communication skills training,
and Gottman’s theoretical framework for couples adjusted for individuals with brain
injury.
Main Outcome Measures
The Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Quality of Marriage Index (QMI), and the Four Horsemen
of the Apocalypse communication questionnaire were implemented. Measures were completed
by the person with brain injury and that person’s partner at 3 time points: baseline,
immediate postintervention, 3-month follow-up.
Results
The experimental group showed significant improvement at posttest and follow-up on
the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Horsemen questionnaire compared to baseline and
to the waitlist-controlled group which showed no significant changes on these measures.
No significant effects were observed on the QMI for either group. Satisfaction scores
were largely favorable.
Conclusions
Results suggest this intervention can improve couples’ dyadic adjustment and communication
after brain injury. High satisfaction ratings suggest this small group intervention
is feasible with couples following brain injury. Future directions for this intervention
are discussed.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy), CI (confidence interval), DBT (dialectical-behavioral therapy), EFT (emotion-focused therapy), TBI (traumatic brain injury), QMI (Quality of Marriage Index)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 06, 2018
Footnotes
Supported by a grant from the Indiana Spinal Cord and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Fund, as well as the Dr. Lisa Thompson Funds from the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana.
Disclosures: none.
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
