It is well recognized that symptoms of adult posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and problems with romantic relationships are connected. However, whether the results of couple/family therapy and individual PTSD therapies are related is unknown. The current study evaluated changes in PTSD symptoms and the performance of intimate relationships using a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual, couple, and family treatment. The inclusion criteria were met by 12 couple therapy studies with 13 distinct samples and 7 individual treatment studies with 9 distinct samples. No family-based interventions were discovered. According to meta-analytic data, both couple and individual trials showed moderate to significant decreases in PTSD symptoms. Individual and couple research has shown that intimate relationship functioning has changed in a modest but important way. According to a moderated study, trauma-focused therapies were more successful at reducing PTSD symptoms for both individual and couple treatment types. In individual trials, trauma-focused therapy had a greater effect on how well intimate relationships functioned. The outcomes were unaffected by membership in the military. This study provided early evidence that both therapy modalities can improve the functioning of close relationships while also supporting the effectiveness of both individual and couple treatment formats for the treatment of PTSD.
Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S088761852200086X
