Attachment-oriented psychological intervention for couples facing XXXX : protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

@entity1 @entity308 @entity0 @entity5 @entity148 @entity716
BACKGROUND: There is evidence that both @entity0 @entity1 and their partners are affected emotionally, when facing a @entity0 . Several couple interventions have been evaluated, but there is a need for couple intervention studies with a clear theoretical basis and a strong design. The Hand in Hand intervention is designed to enhance interdependent coping in the couples and to address @entity1 and partners that are both initially distressed and non-distressed. METHODS: The Hand in Hand study is a randomised controlled trial among 199 @entity0 @entity1 and their partners. Couples were randomised to 4-8 couple sessions with a psychologist in addition to usual care, or to usual care only, approximately 2 months after the @entity1 ' primary surgery date. The intervention was delivered within 3 months, and outcomes were assessed prior to randomisation and 5 and 10 months after primary surgery date. The primary outcome is @entity1 ' @entity5 at the 5-month follow-up measured by the Impact of Event Scale. Secondary outcomes are assessed for both @entity0 @entity1 and partners. These outcomes are: general distress, symptoms of @entity148 and @entity308 , health-related quality of life and measures of dyadic adjustment, intimacy and partner involvement. @entity5 is also assessed for partners. Eligible @entity1 were @entity1   >=    18 years newly diagnosed with primary @entity0 , cohabiting with a male partner, having no previous @entity5 diagnoses, receiving no neo-adjuvant treatment, having no history of hospitalisation due to @entity716 , and able to read and speak Danish. Partners were eligible if they could read and speak Danish and were   >=    18 years. DISCUSSION: This study investigates the effect of an attachment-oriented psychological intervention for @entity0 @entity1 and their partners. The intervention has a theoretical framework and a strong design. If proven effective, this intervention would be helpful in optimising psychosocial care and rehabilitation of couples coping with @entity0 . TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01368380.
