A Semantic Corpus Comparison Analysis of Couple‐Focused Interventions for Problematic Alcohol Use

Abstract

Incorporating spouses into interventions for problematic alcohol use is associated with increased efficacy; yet, little is known about the therapeutic processes that may explain these effects. In a study of partner language use during couple-focused alcohol interventions, we utilized a linguistic corpus comparison tool, Wmatrix, to identify semantic themes that differentiated couples with successful and unsuccessful treatment outcomes, and may therefore also reflect potential change processes. Thirty-three couples participated in a randomized control trial of Family Systems Therapy (FST) or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Linguistic comparisons of partners' speech during the therapy sessions suggested that drinks and alcohol was a significant differentiating semantic theme. Specifically, patients and spouses in FST with successful outcomes used more language related to drinks and alcohol than patients and spouses in FST with unsuccessful outcomes. Post-hoc analyses of context suggested that, in FST, successful spouses spoke less about the patient's drinking and more about alcohol in general (without reference to an individual) than unsuccessful spouses. Conversely, spouses in CBT with successful outcomes used less language related to drinks and alcohol than spouses in CBT with unsuccessful outcomes. In CBT, successful spouses spoke more about the patient's and couple's drinking, and less about the spouse's and other people's drinking than unsuccessful spouses. Results emphasize the role of spouse behavior—in this case indexed via language use—in alcohol treatment outcomes. Findings also suggest potentially distinct therapeutic processes in FST and CBT, and highlight the utility of linguistic corpus comparison methods in couple-focused intervention research.

Does Hazardous Alcohol Use Impact Individual and Relational Functioning Among Couples Seeking Couples Therapy?

“…Substantial research exists that has examined how alcohol impacts individual functioning, including both mental health (Shivani, Goldsmith, & Anthenelli, 2002) and physical health domains (SAMHSA, 2017). Prior research has also indicted the systemic-relational nature of alcohol use (Foulstone, Kelly, Kifle, & Baxter, 2016; Soriano et al, 2017), and more research examining alcohol use in the context of relationships is warranted. Additionally, while many studies have discussed the interplay between alcohol use and some relational variables, research examining both individual and relational functioning among couples in a clinical sample is lacking.…”