Experiences of EFT for couples where one partner has an ABI
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Surviving together: Exploring couples’ experiences of completed Emotionally Focused Therapy, where one partner is the survivor of an acquired brain injury
IRAS ID
185227
Contact name
Claire Rogers
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 23 days
Research summary
An acquired brain injury (ABI) is a sudden and non-progressive insult/injury to the brain (such as accident, stroke or illness). ABI can result in changes in a person's thinking skills, personality, emotional and physical wellbeing, and social skills. Perhaps unsurprisingly, ABI often has a deep impact on intimate-partner relationships, with high divorce/separation rates and reports of an emotional disconnection - as partners feel more like parents. Non-injured partners struggle with high distress, feelings of loss and isolation. However, there is limited research investigating appropriate or beneficial models of couples therapy after ABI and there is limited availability of couples therapy in NHS services.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a couples therapy with growing evidence of benefit for couples experiencing changes in physical health. EFT understands that distress in relationships is caused by disruption in the couples bond, which becomes insecure when partners fail to respond to each others emotional needs, causing distance and disconnection. Because the therapy relies on feelings more than on thinking skills, it could be considered particularly appropriate for couples attempting to survive ABI.
The research aims to chronicle couples’ experiences of completed EFT. Couples participating in this project will have completed EFT as a standard part of their NHS treatment in a local service. 8-10 couples will engage an interview, exploring how they experienced both the therapy and their relationship over the course of EFT. Interview data will be analysed to identify themes across the interviews and interpretations grounded in participants feedback. Findings will contribute to the evidence for couples interventions after ABI, informing development and availability of effective treatment for couples attempting to survive ABI.
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/WM/0414
Date of REC Opinion
19 Nov 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion