Lessons from the field: Developing and piloting a CRE program for couples with chronic illnesses

IF 1.8 3区社会学 Q2 FAMILY STUDIES

Family Relations Pub Date : 2025-03-13 DOI:10.1111/fare.13166

Joshua R. Novak, Lindsey Robinson, Leah Burke, Menglin Wei, Francesca Adler-Baeder

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

In this Lessons from the Field, we describe results and lessons learned from a pilot study of the Healthy We, Healthy Us: Becoming Partners in Health program (HWHU), an online, six-session couple relationship education program for couples managing a chronic illness.

Background

Although couple relationship education (CRE) programs exist for relationship distress, no programs target health and health management, despite literature suggesting that dyadic health management and communal coping improves health outcomes.

Experience

A total of nine couples enrolled in a virtual, biweekly program over Zoom from March 2020 to August 2020 (ages ranged from 23 to 56 years and relationship length from 10 months to 27.5 years). Program assessments were collected pre- and postprogram and analyzed via paired samples t tests. Programmatic feedback questions were also collected postprogram.

Conclusion

Results indicated favorable trends for improvements in relationship quality, individual health behaviors, and health-focused relational processes. Participants reported that sleep and mindfulness aspects changed the most and relayed important feedback for future programming.

Implications

These results suggest initial support for the HWHU program applied to couples across disease contexts. As rates of chronic illnesses continue to skyrocket, approaches are needed that address relationship dynamics around disease management and focus on systemic health behavior change. CRE programs offer a novel and group-based approach to target both lifestyle and relational intervention.

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实地经验：为患有慢性疾病的夫妇开发和试点CRE项目

在这篇来自实地的经验教训中，我们描述了从“健康的我们，健康的我们：成为健康伙伴”计划（HWHU）的试点研究中获得的结果和经验教训。HWHU是一个在线的六期夫妻关系教育计划，用于管理慢性病的夫妇。背景虽然夫妻关系教育（CRE）项目存在于关系困扰中，但没有项目针对健康和健康管理，尽管文献表明二元健康管理和共同应对可以改善健康结果。从2020年3月到2020年8月，共有9对夫妇在Zoom上参加了一个虚拟的每两周进行一次的项目（年龄从23岁到56岁不等，恋爱时间从10个月到27.5年不等）。计划评估收集计划前后，并通过配对样本t检验进行分析。节目后还收集了节目反馈问题。结论人际关系质量、个体健康行为和以健康为中心的关系过程有良好的改善趋势。参与者报告说，睡眠和正念方面的变化最大，并为未来的编程传递了重要的反馈。这些结果初步支持将HWHU项目应用于不同疾病背景的夫妇。随着慢性疾病的发病率持续飙升，我们需要解决围绕疾病管理的关系动态问题，并关注系统性健康行为改变。CRE项目提供了一种新颖的、以群体为基础的方法，以生活方式和关系干预为目标。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Family Relations Multiple-

CiteScore

3.40

自引率

13.60%

发文量

164

期刊介绍： A premier, applied journal of family studies, Family Relations is mandatory reading for family scholars and all professionals who work with families, including: family practitioners, educators, marriage and family therapists, researchers, and social policy specialists. The journal"s content emphasizes family research with implications for intervention, education, and public policy, always publishing original, innovative and interdisciplinary works with specific recommendations for practice.