Behavioral couples therapy for male methadone maintenance patients: Effects on drug-using behavior and relationship adjustment

Married or cohabiting substance-abusing men (N = 36) who were entering meth adone maintenance (MM) treatment were randomly assigned to receive either i ndividual-based methadone maintenance (IBMM) services (i.e., twice-weekly i ndividual counseling plus methadone) or an equally intensive behavioral cou ples therapy (BCT) treatment condition (i.e., once-weekly couples therapy i nvolving their female partner, once-weekly individual counseling, and metha done). Drug use and relationship satisfaction measures were collected at ba seline, weekly during treatment, and at posttreatment. Male partners in the BCT condition had fewer opiate- and cocaine-positive urine samples during treatment than male partners in the IBMM condition. Couples who participate d in BCT also reported higher levels of relationship happiness during treat ment and higher dyadic adjustment at posttreatment than couples in which ma le partners participated in IBMM. Furthermore, patients in the BCT conditio n reported greater reductions in drug use severity and family and social pr oblems from baseline to posttreatment than patients in the IBMM condition. These findings suggest BCT may improve treatment response for married or co habiting MM patients.