Intervening with Military Couples Struggling with Issues of Sexual Infidelity

Both the prevalence and adverse impact of infidelity argue for the importance of disseminating evidence-based interventions for couples struggling with this highly disruptive event. We describe an integrative approach for promoting recovery from infidelity drawing on empirically supported treatments for couple distress as well as empirical literature regarding recovery from interpersonal trauma and recovery from relationship injuries. We then describe a structured 8 session adaptation of this protocol tailored to military couples struggling with issues of infidelity. Reaching these high-risk couples requires extending both the availability and efficacy of services delivered by professionals within the military from diverse disciplines. We present initial findings indicating that US Army chaplains receiving training in this structured protocol not only can learn information regarding the conceptual underpinnings and specific interventions comprising this treatment, but also can apply it appropriately in analog clinical situations. We conclude with suggestions for extending dissemination efforts to reduce acute adverse consequences experienced by service members and their partners experiencing infidelity.