Couples-Based Interventions After Prostate Cancer Treatment
Couples-Based Interventions After Prostate Cancer Treatment
With the small sample size in each group, the authors focused on reporting effect sizes as opposed to statistical significance. A medium effect size (d=0.58) for patients' changes in the Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships (PAIRS) was observed favoring the treatment group, while partners in the treatment group scored lower (d=0.04) on PAIRS than the controls at follow-up. Thus, patients in the educational intervention demonstrated gains in intimacy, while partners in the intervention evidenced no important change. For patients, a large effect size (d=1.02) was seen in DAS scores at the six month follow-up, indicating that patients in the intervention arm had better dyadic adjustment following the educational intervention. A medium effect size (d=0.50) was observed for partners' scores on DAS at six months follow-up, indicating that partners in the intervention group also had more improvements on dyadic adjustment. While both patients and partners experienced improvements in dyadic adjustment, partner's scores following the intervention eventually attenuated. Secondary analyses of sexual activity revealed that controls had a 42% decline in sexual activity from baseline, while couples in the intervention group reported only a 32% decrease in sexual activity at six months follow-up. Taken collectively, couples who did not receive the educational intervention experienced greater losses in intimacy, dyadic adjustment and sexual activity following ADT.
Results
With the small sample size in each group, the authors focused on reporting effect sizes as opposed to statistical significance. A medium effect size (d=0.58) for patients' changes in the Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships (PAIRS) was observed favoring the treatment group, while partners in the treatment group scored lower (d=0.04) on PAIRS than the controls at follow-up. Thus, patients in the educational intervention demonstrated gains in intimacy, while partners in the intervention evidenced no important change. For patients, a large effect size (d=1.02) was seen in DAS scores at the six month follow-up, indicating that patients in the intervention arm had better dyadic adjustment following the educational intervention. A medium effect size (d=0.50) was observed for partners' scores on DAS at six months follow-up, indicating that partners in the intervention group also had more improvements on dyadic adjustment. While both patients and partners experienced improvements in dyadic adjustment, partner's scores following the intervention eventually attenuated. Secondary analyses of sexual activity revealed that controls had a 42% decline in sexual activity from baseline, while couples in the intervention group reported only a 32% decrease in sexual activity at six months follow-up. Taken collectively, couples who did not receive the educational intervention experienced greater losses in intimacy, dyadic adjustment and sexual activity following ADT.
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