Emotionally focused couple therapy in cancer survivor couples with marital and sexual problems: a replicated single-case experimental design.

Autor:	van Diest SL; Department of Clinical Psychology, Open University of the Netherlands, Heerlen, Netherlands., den Oudsten BL; Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands., Aaronson NK; Department of Psychosocial Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands., Beaulen A; Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands., Verboon P; Department of Methodology and Statistics, Open University of the Netherlands, Heerlen, Netherlands., Aarnoudse B; Consultant, Oisterwijk, Netherlands., van Lankveld JJDM; Department of Clinical Psychology, Open University of the Netherlands, Heerlen, Netherlands.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Frontiers in psychology [Front Psychol] 2023 May 02; Vol. 14, pp. 1123821. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 May 02 (Print Publication: 2023).
DOI:	10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1123821
Abstrakt:	Objective: The current research examined the effect of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) on perceived intimacy, affect, and dyadic connection in cancer survivor couples with relationship challenges. Method: In this longitudinal replicated single-case study, positive and negative affect, intimacy, partner responsiveness, and expression of attachment-based emotional needs were reported every 3 days before and during treatment. Thirteen couples, with one partner having survived colorectal cancer or breast cancer, participated for the full duration of the study. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using randomization tests, piecewise regression, and multilevel analyses. Results: Adherence to the therapeutic protocol was tested and found adequate. Compared with baseline, significant positive effects on affect variables were found during the therapeutic process. Positive affect increased and negative affect decreased. Partner responsiveness, perceived intimacy, and the expression of attachment-based emotional needs improved, but only in the later phase of treatment. Results at the group level were statistically significant, whereas effects at the individual level were not. Discussion: This study found positive group-level effects of EFCT on affect and dyadic outcome measures in cancer survivors. The positive results warrant further research, including randomized clinical trials, to replicate these effects of EFCT in cancer survivor couples experiencing marital and sexual problems. Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. (Copyright © 2023 van Diest, den Oudsten, Aaronson, Beaulen, Verboon, Aarnoudse and van Lankveld.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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