Effectiveness of a relationship enrichment program for couples living with multiple sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Science
• Health Sciences

Background:

• Chronic illnesses like multiple sclerosis (MS) present significant psychosocial challenges.
• These challenges often negatively impact the relationships of individuals with MS and their partners.
• There is a need for interventions to support couples coping with MS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Relationship Matters (RM) program.
• To assess improvements in relationship satisfaction and health-related quality of life for couples with MS.
• To examine outcomes over a 3-month follow-up period.

Main Methods:

• Couples affected by MS participated in the RM program, which combined National MS Society resources with marriage education.
• The 8-hour program was delivered via in-person workshops or teleconferences.
• A control group of couples not receiving the intervention was used for comparison.

Main Results:

• The RM program significantly improved relationship satisfaction compared to the control group (P < .05).
• Participants reported significant enhancements in mental health-related quality of life.
• Improvements were noted in communication, conflict resolution, and managing MS-specific relationship issues.

Conclusions:

• The RM program effectively enhances couple functioning for individuals living with MS.
• The intervention provides psychological health benefits for both the person with MS and their support partner.
• Relationship enrichment programs are valuable for addressing the psychosocial impact of chronic illness on couples.