The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the impact of addiction recovery, such as treatment and self-help support group influence on the couple relationship. Researchers have investigated behavioral couple therapy, family relationship theory, and individual and group therapy. Few have delved into couple recovery and their experiences.
A qualitative phenomenological method was implemented in this study with five voluntary couples that met the criteria. They participated in an in-depth, conjoint interview. The in-depth interviews asked questions to get to couple interactions in connectedness, triangulation, and distancing, observed through Bowenian Theory.
Murray Bowen's Transgenerational Theory: Differentiation of Self was the lens used in viewing the lived experiences reported by the participants. This theory also served in analyzing those experiences the couples shared. Analysis of those experiences brought to light four common themes among the recovering couples: Emotional Change, Interdependent Interactions, Cultivated Communication, and Treatment Dilemmas. The information gleaned from this study is valuable to many disciplines that include clinicians (marriage and family therapists, counselors, social workers, and chemical dependency counselors), clergy, researchers, and laypersons.