| Course | PAC 320 Psychology of Addiction |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 7 |
| Paper type | Family intervention paper |
| Length | About 1,080 words, 6 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Aspen University |
| Program | Psychology and Addiction Studies |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for PAC 320 Module 7
Two People in the Room: Behavioral Couples Therapy and Family Support for a Marriage Strained by Cocaine and Alcohol
Student Name
Psychology and Addiction Studies Program, Aspen University
PAC 320: Psychology of Addiction
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Two People in the Room: Behavioral Couples Therapy and Family Support for a Marriage Strained by Cocaine and Alcohol
Andre is thirty-nine, an electrician and the father of a ten-year-old and a six-year-old. Two years ago he began using cocaine with coworkers after long shifts, and his drinking increased with it. He entered outpatient treatment at Cedar Hill Recovery Center, the fictional Asheville program in these papers, after his wife, Tasha, found an empty bag in his truck and told him she was done covering for him. Tasha manages the household finances, which have suffered, the children's schedules and, she says, a constant knot of worry. She told Andre's counselor she loves him but is not sure she can stay. This paper applies couples and family research to their situation. Andre and Tasha are composites, and Cedar Hill is invented; the research is real.
Why Families Belong in Treatment
Substance use affects everyone in a household. Partners carry practical burdens, such as finances and childcare, and emotional ones, such as fear, anger and shame. Relationships can also shape recovery: conflict and distrust can trigger use, and a supportive partner can reinforce change. Treating Andre alone would ignore both the harm to his family and a powerful resource for his recovery.
Behavioral Couples Therapy
Fals-Stewart et al. (1996) tested behavioral couples therapy for married or cohabiting men entering outpatient treatment for drug use. Couples were randomly assigned to behavioral couples therapy plus individual treatment or to individual treatment alone, with the same total number of sessions. Behavioral couples therapy included a daily recovery contract, in which the client stated his intention not to use that day and the partner thanked him for his commitment, along with assignments to increase positive shared activities and training in communication skills. Over the following year, couples who received behavioral couples therapy reported better relationship adjustment, and the men had fewer days of drug use and fewer drug-related arrests and hospitalizations than those in individual treatment.
Powers et al. (2008) conducted a meta-analysis of randomized trials comparing behavioral couples therapy with individual treatment for alcohol and drug use disorders. Behavioral couples therapy produced better outcomes on frequency of substance use, consequences of use and relationship satisfaction. The advantage was small immediately after treatment and larger at later follow-up, suggesting that improvements in the relationship continued to support recovery after sessions ended.
Three Ways to Involve Families
Copello et al. (2005) reviewed family interventions in the treatment of alcohol and drug problems and described three broad types. The first works through family members to engage a relative who will not enter treatment, as in programs that teach families to encourage treatment. The second involves the family directly in the relative's treatment, as behavioral couples therapy does. The third responds to family members' own needs, recognizing that partners, parents and children experience stress and harm in their own right and may need support whether or not the relative changes. The authors argued that services should offer all three, and that family members' needs should not be treated as secondary.
For Andre and Tasha, the second type, couples therapy, addresses their relationship and his recovery. The third type, support for Tasha herself, addresses her exhaustion and her uncertainty about the marriage.
Safety First
Before beginning couples work, Andre's counselor met with Tasha alone and asked about her safety, including whether Andre had ever threatened or hurt her. Joint sessions can be dangerous where there is intimate partner violence. Tasha said there had been shouting but no violence or threats, and that she felt safe. The counselor told her that she could speak privately at any time if that changed.
The Couple's Sessions
| Sessions | Focus | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 and 2 | Assessment and commitment | Each partner's goals; agreement on the recovery contract |
| 3 to 12, every session | Daily recovery contract | Each day Andre states his intention not to use or drink; Tasha thanks him; both mark a calendar |
| 4 to 8 | Positive activities | Planning shared activities, such as a weekly walk and a family movie night |
| 6 to 10 | Communication skills | Listening, expressing feelings, discussing money without blame |
| 11 and 12 | Continuing recovery | A plan for high-risk times, such as late shifts, and for checking in after treatment ends |
Tasha's Own Needs
Tasha's needs extend beyond Andre's recovery. She will be offered a referral to a family support group for partners of people in recovery and individual counseling if she wishes. Her decision about the marriage is hers, and the counselor will not pressure her to stay for Andre's sake. If she decides to leave, she can still receive support.
The Children
The children have noticed tension at home. With both parents' agreement, they will be offered an age-appropriate group for children in families affected by substance use, which teaches that addiction is not their fault and that they cannot fix it. Andre and Tasha will be helped to explain his treatment to them in simple, honest terms.
Why Not Treat Andre Alone?
Individual treatment is the default in many programs, and Andre's counselor initially planned to see him alone. Several features of the case changed that plan. Andre's use was tangled up with the marriage: he used after arguments, and Tasha's distrust, though understandable, left him feeling there was no point in staying clean. Tasha was already deeply involved, managing the consequences of his use without any say in his treatment. And the children were watching both parents. Fals-Stewart and colleagues' comparison was against individual treatment of the same length, which means the couples approach was not simply more treatment but a different use of the same time. For a client whose use and relationship were so closely linked, that difference matters.
Measuring Progress
Progress will be measured for the couple as well as for Andre. Urine tests and the recovery calendar will track his use. Both partners will complete a brief relationship satisfaction measure at the start, midpoint and end of the sessions and at three-month follow-up. Tasha's own stress will be assessed in her support group.
Conclusion
Andre's addiction has affected his whole family, and his family can also support his recovery. Fals-Stewart, Birchler and O'Farrell and Powers, Vedel and Emmelkamp show that behavioral couples therapy improves both drug use and relationships, and Copello, Velleman and Templeton show that families need support in their own right. A plan that brings the couple together, supports Tasha independently and helps the children treats addiction as the family matter it is.
References
Copello, A. G., Velleman, R. D. B., & Templeton, L. J. (2005). Family interventions in the treatment of alcohol and drug problems. Drug and Alcohol Review, 24(4), 369-385. https://doi.org/10.1080/09595230500302356
Fals-Stewart, W., Birchler, G. R., & O'Farrell, T. J. (1996). Behavioral couples therapy for male substance-abusing patients: Effects on relationship adjustment and drug-using behavior. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(5), 959-972. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.64.5.959
Powers, M. B., Vedel, E., & Emmelkamp, P. M. G. (2008). Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) for alcohol and drug use disorders: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 28(6), 952-962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2008.02.002
What the PAC 320 Module 7 instructions ask for
Couples and families are the seventh module in PAC 320, and the assignment commonly asks you to design or analyze a family intervention using evidence, often for a client whose relationships are affected by substance use. Read Aspen's Module 7 instructions as the governing prompt; the couple here is invented. Explain why families belong in treatment. Present evidence for a specific family or couples approach, including its effects on both use and relationships. Describe the types of family involvement. Outline sessions concretely. Address family members' own needs, not only their role in the client's recovery. Screen for safety first, and cite every study in APA 7. Decide how you will measure the relationship as well as the client's use. Leave room for the partner's own decision about the relationship, whatever it turns out to be.
How this PAC 320 Module 7 example is built
Andre began using cocaine with coworkers two years ago, and his drinking rose with it; Tasha manages the bills, two children and her worry. In Fals-Stewart, Birchler and O'Farrell's randomized trial, couples therapy beat individual treatment on both drug use and the marriage. Powers, Vedel and Emmelkamp's Clinical Psychology Review meta-analysis confirms the pattern and shows it growing over follow-up. Copello, Velleman and Templeton's Drug and Alcohol Review article describes three types of family involvement. A five-row table outlines the couple's sessions, from the recovery contract to communication skills. Tasha's referral to a family support group, individual counseling if she wants it and age-appropriate help for the children close the plan, with relationship measures at four points.
PAC 320 Module 7 rubric: what earns full marks
Family intervention papers earn credit for accurate evidence, concrete session plans and attention to family members as people with their own needs. This example reports the trial and meta-analysis precisely, including effects on relationships as well as drug use. The session table shows what actually happens in behavioral couples therapy, such as the daily recovery contract, rather than describing it in general terms. Copello and colleagues' framework ensures that Tasha is supported in her own right. A safety screen before couples work shows awareness of a limit of the approach. The children are included without being made responsible for anyone's recovery, and progress is measured for both partners.
PAC 320 Module 7 help from the desk
Family papers often treat family members only as supports for the client's recovery. Address their own needs, too. Another weakness is recommending family therapy without naming a specific approach and its evidence. Describe what happens in sessions. Screen for intimate partner violence before couples work, since joint sessions can be unsafe. Report evidence accurately, including effects on relationships. Include children with age-appropriate support and without making them responsible. Respect the partner's choices, including the choice to leave. Plan how progress will be measured for the couple, not only for the client's use. Describe the daily contract in enough detail that a reader could run it.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Aspen University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
More PAC 320 and Psychology and Addiction Studies sample papers
- PAC 320 Module 1: The History and Theory of Addiction
- PAC 320 Module 2: Research on the Causes and Course of Addiction
- PAC 320 Module 3: Assessment Tools
- PAC 320 Module 4: Outpatient Treatment
- PAC 320 Module 5: Inpatient and Residential Treatment
- PAC 320 Module 6: Maintenance and Relapse Prevention
- PAC 320 Module 8: Children, Adolescents and People in Recovery
- PAC 201 Module 6: Emotional and Social Development
- PAC 415 Module 8: Reflection on Practical Wisdom
- PAC 230 Module 3: Health Behavior and Behavior Change
- PAC 240 Module 4: Ambivalence and Resistance
PAC 320 Module 7 questions, answered
What does PAC 320 Module 7 usually ask for?
Aspen's PAC 320 covers couples and families in this module, so designing or analyzing a family intervention with evidence is typical. Read your Module 7 prompt.
What is behavioral couples therapy?
A treatment in which the client and partner attend together, with a daily recovery contract, shared positive activities and communication skills training.
Does couples therapy help with drug use?
Fals-Stewart, Birchler and O'Farrell found behavioral couples therapy improved both drug use and relationship adjustment more than individual treatment.
Where can I find a free PAC 320 Module 7 sample paper?
You will find it in full above: behavioral couples therapy and family support for a marriage strained by cocaine and alcohol, with a session table.
How can families be involved in addiction treatment?
Copello, Velleman and Templeton describe helping families engage a reluctant relative, involving families in the relative's treatment and supporting family members' own needs.