Clinical Trial of OurRelationship, a Scalable Digital Intervention for Veteran Couples
VA Office of Research and Development
Summary
Access to a flexible spectrum of family-based VA mental health care for Veterans is mandated by law. Research shows that relationship distress harms Veterans' mental health, physical health, and mortality, while healthy relationships provide resilience and facilitate recovery from illness. However, there are many barriers to accessing couple and family care within VA, including system-level barriers such as insufficient access to specialty providers and couple-level barriers such as difficulty coordinating schedules and finding childcare. OurRelationship is an evidence-based, coached online intervention for couples that provides flexible, accessible, and scalable treatment to improve relationship functioning. This proposed CDA-2 project will test whether OurRelationship is effective for improving Veterans' intimate relationships and supporting their rehabilitation. This study supports the mission of the 2018-2024 Strategic Plan of the Department of Veterans Affairs by improving Veterans' relationship functioning to enhance their overall quality of life.
Description
Over 75% of Veterans referred for behavioral health assessments endorse significant relationship concerns, including 60% reporting mild to severe intimate partner violence. Relationship problems increase risk of cardiovascular illness, exacerbate psychiatric symptoms, impair social and work functioning, and are the most common precipitants of suicidal ideation and attempts for Veterans. Healthy intimate relationships are a crucial part of wellness, resilience, and recovery, and biopsychosocial theories of rehabilitation psychology stress the importance of relationships. Military Veterans have…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Participants will be couples consisting of a Veteran referred from a mental health care clinic at VA San Diego Healthcare System and their spouse or romantic partner who is willing to participate * Couples must: * both speak, read, and write English * be married, living together, or in a relationship for at least 12 months * endorse clinically significant relationship distress by one or both partner's reports (i.e., \< 104.5 on the Couples Satisfaction Index-32) * have internet access sufficient to complete the online program and attend telehealth visits * be…
Interventions
- BehavioralOurRelationship
The OurRelationship Program is an online adaptation of Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT). It consists of 3 modules that couples complete over the course of 6-8 weeks. Couples also receive a 30-minute coaching appointment following completion of each module.
Location
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CASan Diego, California