Efficacy of Behavioral Couples Therapy Versus Individual Recovery Counseling for Addressing Posttraumatic Stress...

Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) for substance use disorder shares similar intervention strategies with empirically supported couples therapies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Like couples-based PTSD therapies, BCT includes interventions that may help to improve PTSD, such as increasing positive behavioral exchanges and improving communication. Studies have yet to examine whether BCT, which has demonstrated efficacy for improving substance-related outcomes, is efficacious for reducing PTSD. We conducted a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial comparing individually based treatment (IBT) to BCT plus IBT (BCT+IBT) for women with drug use disorders. Women in both conditions received 26 therapy sessions over 13 weeks. Women completed the PTSD Diagnostic Scale at baseline, posttreatment, and quarterly during the 1-year follow-up. Of the 61 women who were randomized to treatment, 51 (83.6%) reported a lifetime traumatic event. Of the 50 women who endorsed a "worst traumatic event," 25 (50.0%) had a baseline PTSD diagnosis. The treatments did not differ on baseline PTSD severity or diagnosis. Women who received BCT+IBT had significant reductions in PTSD severity from baseline to each of four posttreatment follow-ups, ds = 0.34-0.80; there were no changes in the IBT group. Generalized estimating equation results showed that women who received BCT+IBT had significantly lower PTSD severity during follow-up versus those who received IBT, d = 0.35. There were no differences in the proportion of participants diagnosed with PTSD following treatment. This was the first study to show that BCT+IBT is efficacious for reducing PTSD among women with drug use disorders.