A comparison of psychosocial adjustment among children of women who received behavioral couples therapy versus individually based therapy for substance use disorder.

BACKGROUND

Children of women with substance use disorder (SUD) exhibit elevated risk for psychosocial adjustment problems. However, little research has examined whether women's SUD treatment is beneficial for their children. In comparison to individually based therapy (IBT), behavioral couples therapy (BCT) is superior for reducing women's SUD problems and improving their intimate partner relationships. The current study sought to examine whether BCT is more efficacious than 12-step-oriented IBT for reducing psychosocial adjustment problems among the children of women with SUD.

METHODS

The study obtained the data from two larger randomized clinical trials, both of which compared BCT plus IBT versus IBT alone for women with SUD. Participants were women (N = 75) and their male partners who had an identified target child between the ages of 6 and 16 years old (M = 10.63). Most (62%) were the biological child of both partners, and 92% lived with the couple. Both partners completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in relation to the target child at baseline, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up.

RESULTS

Comparisons of CBCL scores from baseline to following treatment mostly showed significant improvement in BCT + IBT but not IBT. Generalized estimating equations, which controlled for baseline CBCL, showed better retainment of treatment gains for mother-reported internalizing CBCL scores in BCT + IBT, but the study found no other between treatment differences.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that BCT + IBT produces more consistent improvements for children of women with SUD versus IBT.