Couples- versus individual-based therapy for alcohol and drug abuse: effects on children's psychosocial functioning

The study compared the effect of couples-based versus individual-based therapy for men who entered outpatient substance abuse treatment on the psychosocial functioning of children in their homes. Men were randomly assigned to (a) behavioral couples therapy (BCT), (b) individual-based treatment (IBT), or (c) couples-based psychoeducational attention control treatment (PACT). For both children of alcohol--(N = 71) and drug-abusing men (N = 64), parents' ratings of children's psychosocial functioning was higher for children whose fathers participated in BCT at posttreatment and at 6- and 12-month follow-up than for children whose fathers participated in IBT or PACT. BCT resulted in greater improvements in parents' dyadic adjustment and fathers' substance use. Thus, couples-based intervention that addresses both issues may have greater benefits for children in these homes.