The Effectiveness of Couple Therapy and Relationship Support (ECoT)
2026年5月19日 更新者：Petra Nyman-Salonen、University of Helsinki
The Effectiveness of Couple Therapy and Relationship Support: a Randomized Controlled Trial
This randomized and controlled study investigates the effectiveness of relationship counselling and couple therapy in improving couples' relationship satisfaction and overall well-being. It compares four intervention groups both with each other and with a waitlist control group. The groups are:
- HUS Self-Help (Mielenterveystalo.fi): Participants independently complete online self-help tasks based on couple therapy, developed by Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) Psychiatry and Väestöliitto.
- Peloton Parisuhde (eng. Fearless Relationship) Online Course: Based on Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT), this course by EFCT trainers Eklund-Mikola & Pinomaa uses online lectures and exercises to help couples identify negative interaction patterns and strengthen their emotional connection.
- Short Manualized Emotionally Focused Couple Intervention: Five face-to-face sessions with a couple therapist.
- Face-to-Face Couple Therapy (Treatment As Usual): 1 to 10 sessions, with the therapeutic approach varying depending on the therapist's training.
The study is conducted at the Relationship Counselling Unit of the City of Helsinki's Social Services in Finland, which provides counselling and family guidance under Section 26 of the Social Welfare Act to couples with children living in Helsinki. A total of 200 couples from the unit's treatment queue will be invited to participate and randomly assigned to one of the interventions or the control group, with 40 couples in each group.
Participants will complete questionnaires at the beginning and end of the service, and at a 4-month follow-up. The questionnaires measure relationship satisfaction and well-being, among other things. The study also examines how individual, couple-level, and treatment-related background factors influence and mediate the effectiveness of the interventions.
In addition to the questionnaires, registry data, therapist assessments, and ongoing treatment feedback collected within the unit is utilized. The results will provide new scientific insights into the effectiveness of short interventions and their suitable target groups and can be used to develop relationship counselling work both within the unit and nationally.
調査の概要
状態
招待による登録
条件
研究の種類
介入
入学 (推定)
400
段階
- 適用できない
連絡先と場所
このセクションには、調査を実施する担当者の連絡先の詳細と、この調査が実施されている場所に関する情報が記載されています。
研究場所
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Helsinki、フィンランド
- Relationship Counselling
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参加基準
研究者は、適格基準と呼ばれる特定の説明に適合する人を探します。これらの基準のいくつかの例は、人の一般的な健康状態または以前の治療です。
適格基準
就学可能な年齢
- 大人
- 高齢者
健康ボランティアの受け入れ
はい
説明
Inclusion Criteria:
- Parents (couple) and blended families, and at least one of the parents is resident of Helsinki
- Couples expecting their first child. The couple is experiencing one or more of the following (1) severe relationship conflict, (2) a serious threat of separation, (3) significant challenges in forming a family or navigating a blended family relationship.
- couples eligible for treatment at the couple counselling faculty of Helsinki
Exclusion Criteria:
- Inadequate Finnish written language skills (the questionnaires are only available in Finnish)
- if both spouses do not complete the baseline questionnaires within the given deadline.
研究計画
このセクションでは、研究がどのように設計され、研究が何を測定しているかなど、研究計画の詳細を提供します。
研究はどのように設計されていますか？
デザインの詳細
- 主な目的：支持療法
- 割り当て：ランダム化
- 介入モデル：並列代入
- マスキング：なし（オープンラベル）
武器と介入
参加者グループ / アーム |
介入・治療 |
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実験的：HUS Self-help for Couples
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Self-Help Program for Couples (Mielenterveystalo.fi)
developed by HUS, this online self-help program provides couples with psychoeducational content and practical exercises designed to enhance relationship well-being.
Partners can complete the tasks together or individually.
The materials aim to strengthen emotional connection and improve communication.
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実験的：Peloton Parisuhde (eng Fearless Relationship) Online Course
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Based on Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy, this course by Eira Eklund-Mikola and Hanna Pinomaa uses online lectures and exercises to help couples identify negative interaction patterns and strengthen their emotional connection.
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実験的：Manualized Short-Term EFT-Based Couple Intervention
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Manualized Short-Term EFT-Based Couple Intervention is a structured program consisting of five face-to-face sessions with a trained couple therapist.
Based on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), the intervention helps partners explore emotional patterns, improve communication, and strengthen their bond through guided therapeutic exercises.
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実験的：Standard Face-to-Face Couple Therapy (Treatment as Usual)
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This intervention consists of 1 to 10 in-person sessions with a couple therapist.
The therapeutic approach varies depending on the therapist's professional background and training.
It reflects typical clinical practice and is not standardized, allowing for flexibility in addressing the couple's specific needs.
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介入なし：Waitlist (control group)
Participants in this group do not receive any intervention during the initial two-month study period.
After the waiting period, they are offered Treatment as Usual.
This group serves as a comparison to assess the effectiveness of the active treatments.
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この研究は何を測定していますか？
主要な結果の測定
結果測定 |
メジャーの説明 |
時間枠 |
|---|---|---|
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Relationship Satisfaction (Dyadic Adjustment Scale)
時間枠：Measured at enrollment before randomization, after treatment (or waitlist condition) and at a 4 months followup.
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The Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) is a self-report questionnaire assessing relationship satisfaction and adjustment between romantic partners.
The scale measures consensus, satisfaction, cohesion, and affectional expression.
Total scores range from 0 to 151, with higher scores indicating better relationship adjustment and satisfaction.
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Measured at enrollment before randomization, after treatment (or waitlist condition) and at a 4 months followup.
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Depression severity (Patient Health Questionnaire-9)
時間枠：Measured at enrollment before randomization, after treatment (or waitlist condition) and at a 4 months followup.
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The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a validated self-report measure assessing the severity of depressive symptoms over the past two weeks.
Total scores range from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms.
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Measured at enrollment before randomization, after treatment (or waitlist condition) and at a 4 months followup.
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Anxiety Severity (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7)
時間枠：Measured at enrollment before randomization, after treatment (or waitlist condition) and at a 4 months followup.
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The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) is a validated self-report measure assessing the severity of generalized anxiety symptoms over the past two weeks.
Total scores range from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating more severe anxiety symptoms.
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Measured at enrollment before randomization, after treatment (or waitlist condition) and at a 4 months followup.
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二次結果の測定
結果測定 |
メジャーの説明 |
時間枠 |
|---|---|---|
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Adult Attachment (Experiences in Close Relationships - Revised
時間枠：Measured at enrollment before randomization, after treatment (or waitlist condition) and at a 4 months followup.
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The Experiences in Close Relationships - Revised (ECR-R) is a widely used self-report questionnaire that assesses adult attachment styles in romantic relationships.
The instrument measures two dimensions: attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance, reflecting how individuals experience closeness, trust, and emotional connection with their partner.
Scores on each subscale typically range from 1 to 7, with higher scores indicating greater attachment anxiety or greater attachment avoidance.
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Measured at enrollment before randomization, after treatment (or waitlist condition) and at a 4 months followup.
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Reflective Functioning (Reflective Functioning Questionnaire)
時間枠：Measured at enrollment before randomization, after treatment (or waitlist condition) and at a 4 months followup.
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The Reflective Functioning Questionnaire - RFQ-8 is a brief self-report measure developed by Fonagy and colleagues to assess reflective functioning, or mentalizing-the ability to understand one's own and others' thoughts, feelings, and intentions.
In couple research, it helps evaluate how well partners can interpret each other's behavior in emotionally meaningful ways, which is essential for healthy communication and emotional connection.
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Measured at enrollment before randomization, after treatment (or waitlist condition) and at a 4 months followup.
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Communication Patterns (Communication Patterns Questionnaire)
時間枠：Masured at enrollment before randomization, after treatment (or waitlist condition) and at a 4 months followup
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Communication Patterns Questionnaire - Short Form (CPQ-SF) Developed by Christensen and Sullaway, the CPQ-SF is a self-report measure that assesses how couples communicate during conflict.
It focuses on typical interaction styles-such as constructive communication, avoidance, and demand-withdraw patterns-providing insight into how partners argue and resolve disagreements in their relationship.
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Masured at enrollment before randomization, after treatment (or waitlist condition) and at a 4 months followup
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協力者と研究者
ここでは、この調査に関係する人々や組織を見つけることができます。
スポンサー
協力者
研究記録日
これらの日付は、ClinicalTrials.gov への研究記録と要約結果の提出の進捗状況を追跡します。研究記録と報告された結果は、国立医学図書館 (NLM) によって審査され、公開 Web サイトに掲載される前に、特定の品質管理基準を満たしていることが確認されます。
主要日程の研究
研究開始 (実際)
2025年11月11日
一次修了 (推定)
2028年12月31日
研究の完了 (推定)
2029年6月30日
試験登録日
最初に提出
2026年5月12日
QC基準を満たした最初の提出物
2026年5月19日
最初の投稿 (実際)
2026年5月22日
学習記録の更新
投稿された最後の更新 (実際)
2026年5月22日
QC基準を満たした最後の更新が送信されました
2026年5月19日
最終確認日
2026年5月1日
詳しくは
本研究に関する用語
その他の研究ID番号
- nro 20/2024
個々の参加者データ (IPD) の計画
個々の参加者データ (IPD) を共有する予定はありますか?
いいえ
IPD プランの説明
Individual participant data cannot be shared due to strict confidentiality and data protection regulations.
These data contain sensitive health-related information and personal identifiers, and sharing them could compromise participants' privacy.
All data are handled in accordance with ethical guidelines and legal standards to ensure the protection of participants' rights and well-being.
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いいえ
米国FDA規制機器製品の研究
いいえ
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