Publication year
2016
Citation Title
The feasibility of a web intervention for military and veteran spouses concerned about their partner's alcohol misuse.
Journal Name
Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research
Journal Volume
45
Issue Number
1
Page Numbers
57-73
DOI
10.1007/s11414-016-9546-3
Summary
A number of US military Service Members and Veterans experience heavy drinking which may impair their military readiness. A civilian-based Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) intervention was adapted into a 4-session web-based intervention to provide an accessible intervention for Service members' and Veterans' concerned partners. Findings showed improvements in both communication and management of the partner's drinking after completion of the web-based intervention.
Key Findings
The concerned partners overall reported that the sessions were moderately to very helpful.
All participants indicated moderate confidence in talking to their partner about his/her drinking after the completion of the sessions.
Approximately 84% of the responses showed that participants would recommend the web-based intervetion sessions to a friend or family member with similar concerns.
Implications for Program Leaders
Educate Service members, Veterans, and their spouses and partners on problematic coping mechanisms upon returning home (i.e., drinking)
Provide workshops to spouses and partners of Service members to learn about available supportive resources
Offer pre and post-deployment support groups for the spouses and partners of Service members who are struggling with substance abuse
Implications for Policy Makers
Recommend education of professionals on the possible side effects Service members experience post-deployment
Continue to support programs that address challenges that the spouses and partners of Service members encounter
Encourage collaboration between military-based and community-based intervention programs to help military families reintegrate smoothly after deployment
Methods
Participants were recruited through Facebook military pages or targeted ads.
Concerned partner participants were considered eligible if they completed a screening questionnaire, a baseline survey, the 4-session web-based intervention, a usability survey after each session, and a phone debriefing interview.
The web-based interventions contained four 30-45 minute sessions with content on positive communication skills and identifying positive reinforcement strategies when spouse or partner drinks.
A structured phone interview was completed at the end of the four sessions measuring overall impression of the program.
Participants
Participants included 12 concerned partners of either Active Duty Service members or post-9/11 Veterans.
All participants were female, mostly white (N=10), and 37.5 years old (SD=10.4 years).
The majority of the participants were married to their Service member and/or Veteran partner and all reported having children.
The Service member or Veterans of the concerned partners had an average age of 38 years old (SD= 8.1) and were mostly white (n=10).
Limitations
This study's small sample size means that the results may not generalize to the larger military population.
The entirety of the participants were concerned persons, therefore the study lacked the perspectives of the concerned partner.
The recruitment method used limits the variability within the participants by only targeting individuals who had interests in specific organizations.
Avenues for Future Research
Evaluate the outcomes of the web-based adaptation on a larger sample size to increase the study's validity
Incorporate multiple measures i.e., questionnaires and surveys) of the concerned partner's management of their partner's drinking
Analyze the Service member and/or veteran's coping mechanisms for drinking after the web-based intervention
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Component
Abstract
Concerned partners (CPs) of military service members and veterans with alcohol misuse face significant help-seeking barriers. We adapted the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) intervention into a 4-session web-based intervention (WBI) called Partners Connect. The program aims to help the CP increase their own well-being, teach the CP how to manage his/her behavior (e.g., communication) toward their partner, and identify ways the CP can help their partner reduce drinking and seek treatment. We recruited CPs through social media, and then tested the feasibility and acceptance of the WBI by conducting qualitative interviews and post-WBI session surveys after their WBI sessions. CPs (n = 12) spontaneously reported improvements in communication and more effective management of their partner’s drinking due to skills learned. They discussed how the online approach can help overcome barriers to seeking in-person help. This WBI fills an important gap in clinical services for military and veteran CPs and CPs in the general population who may not otherwise seek in-person counseling.
Abstract Document
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