Couple distress is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, whereas support is associated with heart-healthy behaviors and better CVD outcomes.
Objective: To assess the clinical benefit of the Healing Hearts Together (HHT) intervention, an attachment-based relationship enhancement program for couples in which 1 partner has CVD, on relationship quality, mental health, and quality of life (QoL).
Method: Patients from a tertiary cardiac care center and their partners (N = 78; 39 couples) attended the 8-session HHT group. Participants completed validated, self-report questionnaires pre- and postintervention, including the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), Couple Satisfaction Index (CSI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the SF-36 (QoL). At intervention completion, participants completed a satisfaction survey. Between-groups comparisons (patient/partner) were examined with analysis of variance. Paired-sample t tests were used to assess changes over time with HHT participation for the complete sample and for patients and partners separately.
Results: Many participants reported relationship and psychological distress at baseline. Clinically and statistically significant changes from pre to postintervention were observed for relationship distress (DAS: +7.8 points; p < .001; CSI changes [+3.6] were clinically significant) and depression (-1.8; p < .001), whereas statistically significant changes occurred for anxiety (-1.5; p < .001), and physical (+2.1; p = .047) and mental (+3.3; p < .001) QoL. Patients, but not partners, reported statistically significant changes in QoL-mental component summary. Clinically and statistically significant changes were observed for anxiety for partners, but not patients.
Conclusions: The HHT intervention was beneficial for patients' and partners' relationship quality, mental health, and QoL. A larger randomized controlled trial evaluating the impact of this intervention on relationship quality, mental health and QoL is warranted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).