Coping skills training and 12-step facilitation for women whose partner has alcoholism: effects on depression, the partner's drinking, and partner physical violence.

Abstract

Women (N=171), distressed from their partners' untreated alcoholism, received either coping skills training (CST), 12-step facilitation (TSF), or delayed treatment (DTC). CST and TSF resulted in lower depression levels than DTC but did not differ from one another. Skill acquisition mediated the treatment effects of CST; Al-Anon attendance did not mediate the TSF effect. Lower depression levels were maintained at 12 months with no differences between groups. Partner drinking decreased from pretreatment to follow-up in the CST and TSF conditions. However, for partners with a history of relationship violence, drinking improved across follow-up in the CST condition but worsened in the TSF condition. Partner relationship violence was less in the CST condition. CST may be particularly useful for women experiencing physical violence from a partner with alcoholism.

• Authors: Robert G Rychtarik, Neil B McGillicuddy
• Journal: Journal of consulting and clinical psychology (J Consult Clin Psychol) Vol. 73 Issue 2 Pg. 249-61 (Apr 2005) ISSN: 0022-006X [Print] United States
• PMID: 15796632 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)
• Copyright: Copyright (c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved

Topics

• Adaptation, Psychological
• Adult
• Alcoholism (epidemiology)
• Cohort Studies
• Depression (diagnosis, epidemiology)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Interpersonal Relations
• Male
• Sexual Partners (psychology)
• Spouse Abuse (statistics & numerical data)