A comparison of telehealth and in-person delivery of alcohol behavioral couple therapy.

INTRODUCTION

There is a persistent scarcity of research examining telehealth delivery of evidence-based alcohol use disorder (AUD) interventions. This secondary analysis explored whether Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy (ABCT) treatment outcomes differed when delivered via telehealth versus in-person.

METHOD: Participants were N = 96 adult romantic couples enrolled in a clinical trial in which all participants received ABCT. Couples who participated entirely in person (n = 15) were compared to those who completed at least one telehealth session (n = 81). We compared 1) feasibility and acceptability (e.g., number of sessions attended, participant and therapist-rated therapeutic alliance), 2) alcohol consumption, 3) alcohol problem severity, and 4) relationship adjustment among participants in the telehealth and in-person group at the end of the treatment phase.

RESULTS

Identified patients (IPs) in the in-person group reported slightly stronger participant-rated therapeutic alliance scores than those in the telehealth group (113.2 vs. 105.9, p < .01). Partners in the telehealth group evidenced a substantial reduction in percent drinking days whereas partners in the in-person group evidenced a slight increase (-16.1% vs. +2.3%, p = .02). No other group differences emerged between IPs or partners.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings support the feasibility, acceptability, and rigor of ABCT delivered via telehealth, which can help offset critical systemic barriers to accessing evidence-based couple therapy for AUD.