"Now I have hope": Rebuilding relationships affected by chronic pain

A novel couple-based intervention was created to address the individual and interpersonal needs of people with chronic pain and their romantic partners, as research has shown that pain negatively impacts both partners. A pilot study revealed positive outcomes in both partners, though the extent to which improved relationship functioning contributed to these outcomes is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine couples' experience of the treatment to determine whether addressing relational flexibility was appraised by couples as playing an important role in this novel intervention.

Fourteen couples who completed the treatment participated in interviews and gave feedback about the intervention. Interviews were analyzed using a multiphase thematic analysis to provide information about the treatment effects and mechanisms of change from the couples' perspectives.

Couples described the intervention as essential in rebuilding their relationships, which had been negatively impacted by the effects of chronic pain.

The presence of chronic pain had contributed to feelings of isolation, helplessness, and resentment within relationships. Participants valued this dyadic treatment because it enhanced their communication, connection, and intimacy. Their reports reinforce the importance of targeting both partners in pain treatment when relationship distress is present, as the improvements made in individual treatment are unlikely to be maintained if patients return to environments that are unsupportive and distressed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).