Couples Therapy to Enhance Intimacy Between Patients With Advanced or Recurrent Prostate Cancer and Their Partners

Overview

RATIONALE: A couples therapy program may enhance intimacy and reduce psychological distress in patients with prostate cancer and in their partners. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying how well couples therapy enhances intimacy and reduces psychological distress in patients with advanced or recurrent prostate cancer and in their partners.

OBJECTIVES: * Determine the feasibility of Intimacy-Enhancing Couples Therapy (IECT) for patients with advanced or recurrent prostate cancer and their partners. * Compare the effect of IECT vs usual care on patients' and their partners' level of global psychological distress. * Compare the effect of IECT vs usual care on relationship intimacy in these participants. OUTLINE: This is a randomized, controlled, pilot, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to marital distress based on partners' scores on the Abbreviated Dyadic Adjustment Scale (high \[\< 21\] vs low \[≥ 21\]). Patients and their partners are randomized to 1 of 2 arms. * Arm I: Patients and their partners receive Intimacy-Enhancing Couples Therapy over 6 weeks comprising the following four 90-minute sessions: the Story of Cancer; Understanding the Couple, Ways of Relating and Key Influences; Intimacy; and Coping, Support, and Adaptation. Patients and their partners complete treatment satisfaction questionnaires after completion of study intervention. * Arm II: Patients and their partners receive standard psychosocial care. All participants complete questionnaires assessing psychological distress, intimacy, communication patterns, and overall relationship adjustment/satisfaction at baseline and at 1 month after completion of study intervention.