
The Feasibility of a Web Intervention for Military and Veteran Spouses Concerned About Their Partner's Alcohol Misuse
Published in: The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, Volume 45, Issue 1 (January 2018), Pages 57-73. doi:10.1007/s11414-016-9546-3
Posted on RAND.org on April 18, 2018
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.
Research conducted by
This report is part of the RAND Corporation External publication series. Many RAND studies are published in peer-reviewed scholarly journals, as chapters in commercial books, or as documents published by other organizations.
The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.