The specific aims of the ABCT\_Military project are as follows: 1) To modify the existing, Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy (ABCT) model to treat service members in the reconstitution (post deployment, reintegration, or separation) stage of service, and develop optional psychoeducation modules to address relevant co-morbid problems and challenges in this population in a weekly, 15 session, stand-alone outpatient format. 2) To test feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the study intervention protocol in a successive cohort design for one cohort of 8 couples and one cohort of 22 couples, with iterative manual revision.
The study staff will screen potential participants over the phone, and arrange Baseline (BL) research interviews for appropriate couples. The couple will meet with the program interviewer for approximately 2 hours. After the BL interview, couples will be scheduled to attend therapy sessions. Couples will complete brief within treatment self-report assessments. Couples will complete a post treatment follow up interview four months after session 1.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
60
15 Weekly Couple Therapy Sessions
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
Percent Drinking Days (PDD)
Derived from Timeline Followback (TLFB)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 4 months post Session 1
Percent Heavy Drinking Days
Derived from Timeline Followback (TLFB)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 4 months post Session 1
Mean Drinks Per Drinking Day
Derived from Timeline Followback (TLFB)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 4 months post Session 1
Couple Satisfaction Inventory 16
16 item measure assessing satisfaction in couple relationship. Scores range from 0 to 81 and higher scores indicate higher levels of relationship satisfaction. Total score is calculated by summing all values.
Time frame: Change from baseline at 4 months post Session 1
Coping Strategies Scale
25-item brief measure assessing coping in alcohol-specific and non-alcohol situations. Scores range from 1-4 and higher scores indicate greater use of coping skills. Total score is calculated by averaging all values.
Time frame: Change from baseline at 4 months post Session 1
World Health Quality of Life Questionnaire - Bref
26-item self report assessing quality of life across 4 domains/subscales: Physical health, Psychological, Social relationships, Environment. The first two items measure quality of life and overall health and are examined separately, with scores ranging from 1-5. The four domain scores are calculated by averaging values and scores range from 1-5. Higher scores indicate higher quality of life within each domain. Mean scores are then multiplied by 4 in order to make domain scores comparable with the scores used in the WHOQOL-100 (full scale measure).
Time frame: Change from baseline at 4 months post Session 1
Treatment Services Review
Interview assessing quantity and type of services received (e.g., health, psychological) outside of study intervention. Total scores are calculated by summing the number of outside services used. Total scores have a minimum of 0 and no maximum value.
Time frame: Weekly during treatment, for up to 16 weeks
Working Alliance Inventory Short Form
12-item self-report measure of the therapeutic alliance. Total scales are calculated by summing all values. Values range from 1-7 with total scores ranging from 12 to 84). Higher scores indicate greater alliance.
Time frame: Baseline and through study completion, about 16 weeks
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Percent of sample with a PTSD diagnosis as determined by scores on the Life Events Checklist (LEC-5) and the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5).
Time frame: Baseline
PTSD Checklist (PCL-5)
20-item self-report questionnaires assessing current symptoms of PTSD, used to assess current (past 30 days) PTSD severity. Total scores are calculated by summing all values. Scores on the PCL-5 range from 0-80 and reflect a global PTSD severity score, with higher scores indicating greater severity.
Time frame: Baseline and through study completion, about 16 weeks
Use of Treatment Skills
Self-report questionnaire assessing use of skills learned during treatment. Item scores range from 1-5 and a total score is calculated by summing all values. Higher scores indicate greater use of skills.
Time frame: Baseline and through study completion, about 16 weeks
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