Across various types of therapy approaches, “homework” assignments are common and may enhance treatment success. This multimethod study investigated whether having a family member participate in a brief family intervention impacted Veterans’ completion and quality of homework assigned in their individual posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychotherapy. 24 Veterans and their romantic partners (n = 24) were randomly assigned either to an intervention group, in which the partner received a brief family intervention, or to a control group, which received treatment as usual. After the 16-week study period, clinicians assessed homework completion rates and homework quality, and couples completed interviews. The findings suggest that a brief family intervention focused on PTSD psychoeducation may improve Veterans’ understanding and application of concepts from their individual treatment.
Summary provided by Military REACH at Auburn University
Translating Research Into Practice (TRIP) Report:
Created by our partners at Military REACH at Auburn University, TRIP Reports summarize the key findings and implications of this study to provide actionable insights in accessible language for practitioners, policy makers, and families.
Reference:
Fernando, M., Fite, R. E., & Thompson-Hollands, J. (2025). Brief family involvement enhances veteran homework quality during trauma-focused psychotherapy. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 17(5), 949–956. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001678