Behavioral Couples Therapy for Female Substance-Abusing Patients: Effects on Relationship Adjustment and Drug-Using Behavior

The effectiveness of Behavioral Couples Therapy (BCT) in the treatment of substance-abusing males has been demonstrated (Fals-Stewart, Birchler, 8 O'Farrell, 1996). However, research on the effectiveness of BCT in substance-abusing females has remained unexamined. It was hypothesized that BCT would improve posttreatment results of substance abuse treatment, both in terms of drug use and relationship satisfaction. Married or cohabitating female substance-abusing patients (N=60) who were entering an outpatient treatment program were randomly assigned to one of two equally intensive treatment conditions. One treatment package (IBT) consisted of individual based therapy only; the other (BCT) consisted of individual based therapy and behavioral couples therapy. Measures of drug use and dyadic functioning were collected pretreatment, posttreatment, and at quarterly intervals thereafter for 1 year. The couples in the BCT condition reported significantly greater marital satisfaction during treatment and through the 3-month posttreatment follow-up than the couples in which the wife received IBT. The female patients in the BCT condition also reported superior outcomes on drug use measures during treatment and for the 1 year posttreatment when compared to the female patients in the IBT group.