Clinical trial NCT05194683: The Effects of Relational Letter Writing
Official title: The Effects of Relational Letter Writing in Couples Wellbeing: A Mixed-Method Approach
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Relational Problems
Couples
Keywords: Relational Letter Writing
Narrative Therapy
Lead sponsor: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2022-01-18
Enrollment: 68
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: This is a parallel, randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing two arms: intervention and wait-list control.
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The main objective of this research is to explore the relational letter writing technique as an intervention for improving couples' relational well-being. This is a two-arm superiority randomized clinical trial. Sixty-eight couples will be monitored before, during, and after the intervention. To observe the effect of the relational letter, scores of couples who are in the intervention arm and control arm will be compared (between groups) as well as pre-post scores (within-group). The content of the letter writing will be qualitatively analyzed to explore the reconstruction of their ethical values. Results from both methods will be integrated in order to get an in-depth perspective of the newly developed intervention. It is expected to increase the array of available techniques to help couples improve their individual and relational well-being.

Detailed description: Relational letter writing is a recently developed therapeutic tool within the framework of Narrative Therapy that consists of two interviews and a letter writing task, in which a meta-conversation between the relationship itself, the couple members, and the therapists is fostered. Although this specific therapeutic technique can be used within the therapy process, in this study, it is used as a brief stand-alone narrative intervention.

The main objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy of the innovative Relational letter writing technique as a brief intervention for couples with mild to moderate levels of conflict. Also, the investigators want to explore changes in couples' narratives after experiencing the letter-writing procedure, and whether this technique can lead to reconstructing the relationship ethics and to greater relational awareness and well-being. The following objectives will be observed in this study:

* To explore the effects of Relational letter writing practice on couples' relational well-being
* To assess changes in individual psychological well-being after the Relational letter writing intervention
* To observe whether this technique can lead to reconstructing the relationship ethics and to greater relational awareness, and its relationship with the outcome
* To observe whether there is a difference between successful and unsuccessful cases in terms of the content of the letters.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Couples willing to participate in a relationship enhancing intervention
* Couples should have been living together at least for 12 months

Exclusion Criteria:

* Couples who are currently receiving any kind of psychotherapy
* Participants presenting severe psychological disorders (Psychosis, substance abuse, major depression)
* Presence of intimate partner violence or abuse
* Participants presenting cognitive impairment or disability impeding them from writing or answering written information
* High-conflicted couples as measured by the DAS (Scores below 70)

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS)
timeFrame: The change of relational wellbeing will be evaluated for a week before the intervention (baseline), after the first session of the interview, and with follow-ups (right after the intervention, 2 weeks, and 3 months after the intervention).
measure: Perceived Relational Change
timeFrame: Perceived relational change will be administrated at post intervention, 2 weeks and 3 months after the intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - Outcome Measure Spanish version (CORE-OM)
timeFrame: Individual wellbeing will be evaluated for a week before the intervention (baseline), after the first session of the interview, and with follow-ups (right after the intervention, 2 weeks, and 3 months after the intervention).
measure: Change in Global Measure of Relational Satisfaction (GMRS)
timeFrame: The change of relationship satisfaction will be evaluated a week before the intervention (baseline), after the first and second session of the interview, and with follow-ups (right after the intervention, 2 weeks, and 3 months after the intervention)
measure: Change in Outcome Rating Scale (ORS)
timeFrame: Chance of session to session progress will be evaluated a week before the intervention (baseline), after the first and second session of the interview, and with follow-ups (right after the intervention, 2 weeks, and 3 months after the intervention).
Other outcomes:
Locations:
Study officials:
affiliation: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
name: Adrian Montesano
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: