Evaluation of a Brief, Skill-Building, Supportive, and Educational Intervention for Couples After Brain Injury.

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of an intervention (Therapeutic Couples Intervention, TCI) designed to improve relationship quality for couples after acquired brain injury. Setting: Outpatient brain injury rehabilitation center. Participants: Persons with brain injury (n = 75) and their intimate partners (n = 75). Design: Two-arm parallel, randomized, controlled trial with wait-listed control. Methods: Composed of 5 to 6 2-hour sessions, the TCI is a manualized, treatment program designed to enhance relationship quality by addressing issues and concerns most often identified by persons with brain injury and their partners. Main Measure: Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale completed by the persons with brain injury and their partners. Results: Persons with brain injury and their partners in the treatment group showed an improvement in relationship quality, both compared with their own baseline values and the control group. Conclusions: Investigation provided evidence that a curriculum-based education, skill-building, and supportive intervention can benefit couples for up to 3 months after treatment. Additional research is needed to ascertain the long-term benefits of intervention and the efficacy of alternative delivery methods (eg, Internet, telephone, and group).