Couple Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Pilot Results From US Military Veterans and Their Partners

We studied 13 U.S. male military veterans and their female partners who consented to participate in an uncontrolled trial of couple treatment for alcohol use disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (CTAP). CTAP is a 15-session, manualized therapy, integrating behavioral couples therapy for alcohol use disorder (AUD) with cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Due to ineligibility (n = 1) and attrition (n = 3), 9 couples completed the study, and 7 completed 12 or more sessions. There were 8 veterans who showed clinically reliable pre- to posttreatment reduction of PTSD outcomes. There were also significant group-level reductions in clinician-, veteran-, and partner-rated PTSD symptoms (d = 0.94 to 1.71). Most veterans showed clinically reliable reductions in percentage days of heavy drinking. Group-level reduction in veterans' percentage days of heavy drinking was significant (d = 1.01). There were 4 veterans and 3 partners with clinically reliable reductions in depression, and group-level change was significant for veterans (d = 0.93) and partners (d = 1.06). On relationship satisfaction, 3 veterans and 4 partners had reliable improvements, and 2 veterans and 1 partner had reliable deterioration. Group-level findings were nonsignificant for veteran relationship satisfaction (d = 0.26) and for partners (d = 0.52). These findings indicate that CTAP may be a promising intervention for individuals with comorbid PTSD and AUD who have relationship partners. Resumen Estudiamos a 13 veteranos militares varones y sus parejas mujeres quienes consintieron en participar en un ensayo no controlado de Tratamiento de Pareja para el Trastorno por Uso de Alcohol y Trastorno por Estres Postraumatico (CTAP, sigla en ingles para Couple Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder and Postraumatic Stress Disorder). La CTAP es una terapia de 15 sesiones en formato manual que integra terapia conductual de parejas para el trastorno por uso de alcohol (TUA) con terapia conjunta cognitivo-conductual para el trastorno por estres postraumatico (TEPT). Debido a la inelegibilidad (n = 1) y retiro del consentimiento (n = 3), 9 parejas completaron el estudio y 7 completaron 12 o mas sesiones. Hubo 8 veteranos que mostraron una reduccion clinicamente confiable de los resultados de TEPT entre el pre y post-tratamiento. Hubo tambien reducciones significativas a nivel de grupo en los sintomas TEPT calificados por los clinicos, los veteranos y las parejas (d = 0.94 a 1.71). La mayoria de los veteranos mostro reducciones clinicamente confiables en el porcentaje de dias de abuso de alcohol. La reduccion a nivel de grupo en el porcentaje de dias de abuso de alcohol en veteranos fue significativa (d = 1.01). Hubo 4 veteranos y 3 companeras con reduccion clinicamente confiable en depresion y el cambio a nivel de grupo fue significativo para los veteranos (d = 0.93) y las companeras (d = 1.06). En la satisfaccion de la relacion, 3 veteranos y 4 companeras tuvieron mejorias confiables y 2 veteranos y 1 companera tuvieron real deterioro. Los hallazgos a nivel de grupo no fueron significativos para la satisfaccion de pareja en los veteranos (d = 0.26) ni para sus parejas (d = 0.52). Estos hallazgos indican que la CTAP puede ser una intervencion prometedora para los individuos con comorbilidad TEPT y Trastorno por uso de alcohol y que tienen relacion de pareja. Traditional and Simplified Chinese Abstracts by AsianSTSS ?? : ???????????????????????????????????? ??: ????????????????????????????????(CTAP),??13??????????????????????CTAP????15???????,??????????(AUD)????????????????(PTSD)???????????????(n = 1)????(n = 3)???,9???????,7????12?????????8???????????PTSD??????????????????????????????????PTSD???????(d = 0.94 ? 1.71)???????????????????????,???????????????????????????????(d = 1.01)?4??????3????????????????????,????????????(d = 0.93)???(d = 1.06)???????????,3??????4?????????,2??????1????????????????????????????(d = 0.26)?????????(d = 0.52)???????????,CTAP???? PTSD?AUD???????,?????????????? ?? : ???????????????????????????????????? ??: ????????????????????????????????(CTAP),??13??????????????????????CTAP????15???????,??????????(AUD)????????????????(PTSD)???????????????(n = 1)????(n = 3)???,9???????,7????12?????????8???????????PTSD??????????????????????????????????PTSD???????(d = 0.94 ? 1.71)???????????????????????,???????????????????????????????(d = 1.01)?4??????3????????????????????,????????????(d = 0.93)???(d = 1.06)???????????,3??????4?????????,2??????1????????????????????????????(d = 0.26)?????????(d = 0.52)???????????,CTAP???? PTSD?AUD???????,??????????????