Two-Session Couples Class to Improve Relationship Health

NCT05026372 | Terminated

• 1 other identifier: IRB-2019-123
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 126
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will compare the effect of three different stress reduction intervention techniques compared to a non-intervention control group on the psychological and relationship functioning in 40 romantic couples. The current study will serve two purposes. Results will inform future efforts to develop effective brief stress reduction interventions for physically healthy couples and will inform future iterations of stress reduction-based intervention for cancer patients and their caregivers. The investigators hypothesize that couples in the three stress-reduction interventions will report greater relationship health and greater mindfulness after the intervention than couples in the non-intervention control group. The investigators also hypothesize that the stress-reduction groups will be most beneficial for individuals who report higher distress, indifferent relationship style, and insecure attachment at baseline.

Conditions

Stress

Keywords

couples stress, health, psychology

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Perceived Stress Scale

  Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (Cohen \& Janicki-Deverts, 2012) is a 10-item scale to measure stress. Scores range from 0-40, with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress

  Within 1 week of treatment ending

• Perceived Stress Scale

  Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (Cohen \& Janicki-Deverts, 2012) is a 10-item scale to measure stress. Scores range from 0-40, with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress

  1 month after treatment ends

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Dyadic Adjustment Scale Total Score

  within 1 week of treatment ending

• Dyadic Adjustment Scale Total Score

  1 month after treatment ends

• Five Facet Mindfulness Scale Total Score

  Within 1 week of treatment completion

• Five Facet Mindfulness Scale Total Score

  1 month after treatment ends

Other Outcomes (8)

• Acceptance & Action Questionnaire-II Total Score

  Within 1 week of treatment completion

• Acceptance & Action Questionnaire-II Total Score

  1 month after treatment ends

• Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale

  Within 1 week of treatment completion

Study Arms (4)

Mindfulness + Compassion (MC)

EXPERIMENTAL

For participants randomized to the MC condition will focus on compassion and creating positive emotions. This session will include techniques such as guided visualizations and a loving kindness meditation that are intended to facilitate connection with their partners. During this session, couples will also learn the ground rules of mindful and compassionate listening and sharing, as they will be asked to engage in an emotional disclosure task. The instructor will go over the homework assignment. The interventionist will review the tools the couples had learned over the course of this program and help them proactively identify strategies to continue to implement them into their lives. Couples will receive instructions on how to continue with this program when no longer meeting with the interventionist.

Behavioral: Mindfulness Compassion (MC)

Mindfulness + Gratitude (MG)

EXPERIMENTAL

Session 2 for participants randomized to group MG will focus on gratitude. Participants will be taught to reflect on things, events, and people which they are grateful for via a gratitude meditation. Couples will share their experiences of practicing gratitude. The instructor will remind the couple of ground rules prior to the emotional disclosure exercise and facilitate if necessary during the sharing. Each member of the couple will take turn in sharing with and listening to their partner. The instructor will go over the homework assignment. The interventionist will review the tools the couples had learned over the course of this program and help them proactively identify strategies to continue to implement them into their lives. Couples will receive instructions on how to continue with this program when no longer meeting with the interventionist.

Behavioral: Mindfulness Gratitude (MG)

Mindfulness + Value-Based Living (MV)

EXPERIMENTAL

Session 2 for participants randomized to group MV will focus on learning strategies to live life according to their values. They will first engage in a reflection exercise to help identify their values, and then complete a worksheet. Couples will brain storm together strategies to ensure that their lives reflect their self-identified values. The instructor will go over the homework assignment. The interventionist will review the tools the couples had learned over the course of this program and help them proactively identify strategies to continue to implement them into their lives. Couples will receive instructions on how to continue with this program when no longer meeting with the interventionist.

Behavioral: Mindfulness Value-Based Living (MV)

Attention Control (AC)

NO INTERVENTION

For participants randomized to the AC condition, both sessions will focus on discussing issues and themes that emerge for couples, such as communication and perceived supportiveness. Utilizing a reflective listening approach, the interventionist will focus on encouraging participants to share concerns related to their daily experiences. Unlike in the MC, MG, and MV groups, the interventionist will not offer advice, support (other than reflective listening) or any other tools to participants. Additionally, the interventionist will not probe for deep emotional disclosure. Please see the appendix for the session outline. We believe a control group that discusses daily relationship-related concerns serves as an excellent comparison condition in this study since it is viewed as credible by participants and equates for time and attention as well as nonspecific treatment effects such as those provided through social interactions.

Interventions

Mindfulness Compassion (MC) BEHAVIORAL

The interventionist will review the tools the couples had learned over the course of this program and help them proactively identify strategies to continue to implement them into their lives. Couples will receive instructions on how to continue with this program when no longer meeting with the interventionist.

Mindfulness + Compassion (MC)

Mindfulness Gratitude (MG) BEHAVIORAL

The interventionist will review the tools the couples had learned over the course of this program and help them proactively identify strategies to continue to implement them into their lives. Couples will receive instructions on how to continue with this program when no longer meeting with the interventionist.

Mindfulness + Gratitude (MG)

Mindfulness Value-Based Living (MV) BEHAVIORAL

The interventionist will review the tools the couples had learned over the course of this program and help them proactively identify strategies to continue to implement them into their lives. Couples will receive instructions on how to continue with this program when no longer meeting with the interventionist.

Mindfulness + Value-Based Living (MV)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• ADULT ROMANTIC COUPLES in a relationship for a minimum of 6 months COHABITATING for a minimum of 6 months STRESS. At least one member of the romantic dyad reports stress above the normative mean for young adults (i.e., Perceived Stress Scale score \> 17; Cohen \& Janicki-Deverts, 2012).

You may not qualify if:

• INDIVIDUALS UNDER AGE 18: This study only involves adult participants. NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING INDIVIDUALS: This study only involves participants who can speak English.
• ATTENDING PSYCHOTHERAPY: This stud only involves individuals who are not currently (self-defined) participating in psychotherapy.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sam Houston State University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, Texas, 77340, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Chelsea G Ratcliff, Ph.D.

  Sam Houston State University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: Participants will not be informed of their group condition, i.e., MC, MG, MV, or AC.
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Model Details: The intervention conditions are divided into Mindfulness + Compassion (MC), Mindfulness + Gratitude (MG), Mindfulness + Value-Based Living (MV), and Attention Control (AC)) on Mindfulness (FFMQ).

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 23, 2021
• First Posted: August 30, 2021
• Study Start: May 29, 2019
• Primary Completion: May 31, 2023
• Study Completion: May 31, 2023
• Last Updated: October 24, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-04

Locations

US (1)