Veteran and romantic partner goals for family involvement in PTSD treatment: A qualitative study of dyads.

Abstract

As part of a larger study of a family-inclusive intervention for veterans beginning treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we conducted individual semi-structured qualitative interviews with 20 veteran-romantic partner dyads. Topics included previous experiences with partner involvement in health care, goals for this episode of partner involvement, and any concerns about a partner-inclusive approach, as well both participants' understanding of the extent of the partner's knowledge of PTSD and of the veteran's traumatic experiences. Researchers analyzed interview data using a rapid analytic approach, identifying several common emerging themes across participants, as well as some notable but less common perspectives. Participants described a range of hopes and limited concerns regarding integration of the partner into the treatment program; areas of incongruity within dyads also emerged. Overall, veterans and their partners appear to be quite interested in family-inclusive interventions for PTSD and identified goals are largely psychoeducational and supportive in nature.