EMPIRICALLY SUPPORTED COUPLE AND FAMILY INTERVENTIONS FOR MARITAL DISTRESS AND ADULT MENTAL-HEALTH PROBLEMS

This article evaluates the efficacy, effectiveness, and clinical signi ficance of empirically supported couple and family interventions for t reating marital distress and individual adult disorders, including anx iety disorders, depression, sexual dysfunctions, alcoholism and proble m drinking, and schizophrenia. In addition to consideration of differe nt theoretical approaches to treating these disorders, different ways of including a partner or family in treatment are highlighted: (a) par tner-family-assisted interventions, (b) disorder-specific partner-fami ly interventions, and (c) more general couple-family therapy Findings across diagnostic groups and issues involved in applying efficacy crit eria to these populations are discussed.