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Review and Meta-analysis of Couple-Oriented Interventions for Chronic Illness

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Evidence continues to build for the impact of the marital relationship on health as well as the negative impact of illness on the partner. Targeting both patient and partner may enhance the efficacy of psychosocial or behavioral interventions for chronic illness.

Purpose

The purpose of this report is to present a cross-disease review of the characteristics and findings of studies evaluating couple-oriented interventions for chronic physical illness.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative review of 33 studies and meta-analyses for a subset of 25 studies.

Results

Identified studies focused on cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, chronic pain, HIV, and Type 2 diabetes. Couple interventions had significant effects on patient depressive symptoms (d = 0.18, p < 0.01, k = 20), marital functioning (d = 0.17, p < 0.01, k = 18), and pain (d = 0.19, p < 0.01, k = 14) and were more efficacious than either patient psychosocial intervention or usual care.

Conclusions

Couple-oriented interventions have small effects that may be strengthened by targeting partners’ influence on patient health behaviors and focusing on couples with high illness-related conflict, low partner support, or low overall marital quality. Directions for future research include assessment of outcomes for both patient and partner, comparison of couple interventions to evidence-based patient interventions, and evaluation of mechanisms of change.

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Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, 118 Henderson Building North, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Lynn M. Martire Ph.D.

  2. Department of Psychiatry and University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Richard Schulz Ph.D.

  3. Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Vicki S. Helgeson Ph.D.

  4. School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Brent J. Small Ph.D.

  5. Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Ester M. Saghafi MEd, MLS

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  1. Lynn M. Martire Ph.D.
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  2. Richard Schulz Ph.D.
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  3. Vicki S. Helgeson Ph.D.
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  4. Brent J. Small Ph.D.
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  5. Ester M. Saghafi MEd, MLS
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Correspondence to Lynn M. Martire Ph.D..

Additional information

References marked with an asterisk indicate studies included in the meta-analyses.

This research was supported in part by Grants R01 AG026010, R01 NR009573, and R01 DK060586.

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Martire, L.M., Schulz, R., Helgeson, V.S. et al. Review and Meta-analysis of Couple-Oriented Interventions for Chronic Illness. ann. behav. med. 40, 325–342 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9216-2

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