# Clinical Trial of OurRelationship, a Scalable Digital Intervention for Veteran Couples

> **NIH VA IK2** · VA SAN DIEGO HEALTHCARE SYSTEM · 2024 · —

## Abstract

Background: Over 75% of Veterans referred for behavioral health assessments endorse significant relationship
concerns. Relationship distress leads to a wide range of health and mental health problems, whereas healthy
intimate relationships are an important part of biopsychosocial models of resilience and rehabilitation.
Improving social functioning is an RR&D priority, and VHA directive 1163.04 mandates all Veterans have
access to a flexible continuum of family mental health services. However, access to couples’ interventions is
limited: trained couple therapists are limited in number and location, and they are underutilized due to logistical
barriers couples face including coordinating schedules, dual time off work, childcare, and stigma. Because of
these barriers, over 60% of divorced couples never accessed couples’ treatment, and Veterans spend four to
seven years in relationship distress before getting help. Digital health is a critical part of solving problems of
access to care. Digital interventions for couples provide flexible access to evidence-based relationship
interventions and are essential for providing scalable access to family mental health care. OurRelationship is
an online adaptation of an evidence-based couple therapy (Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy), which
combines eight hours of a self-paced online couples’ program with three 20-minute telehealth coaching
sessions. Several RCTs show OurRelationship improves relationship functioning and individual mental health,
including among community-recruited Veterans. Our pilot data from 13 couples recruited over two months in
VA San Diego indicate Veterans find OurRelationship appealing and helpful. However, OurRelationship has
not yet been rigorously evaluated with a Veteran population in a VA medical center setting.
Methodology: The proposed 5-year study is a 2-month waitlist-controlled randomized clinical trial. We aim to
serve 90 Veterans with mental health concerns and relationship distress and their partners (N = 180), recruited
from individual and family mental health clinics within VASDHS. Data on rehabilitation outcomes including
relationship functioning (primary outcome), relationship behaviors (e.g., communication, conflict), individual
functioning (e.g., functional disability, family role), and psychiatric symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety) will be
collected at baseline, mid-program, post-program, and 6-month follow-up. We will collect participant feedback
via qualitative interviews and quantitative ratings of therapeutic alliance and program satisfaction.
Aims: Aim 1 is to examine feasibility and acceptability of implementing OurRelationship in a VA setting with
Veterans and their partners. Aim 2 is to evaluate efficacy of the OurRelationship program on improving
relationship functioning for Veterans and their partners. Aim 3 is to explore mediation of improvements in
individual functional outcomes by improvements in relationship functioning.
Career Development Plan...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10834882
- **Project number:** 5IK2RX003777-03
- **Recipient organization:** VA SAN DIEGO HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** Kayla Knopp
- **Activity code:** IK2 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-05-01 → 2027-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10834882

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10834882, Clinical Trial of OurRelationship, a Scalable Digital Intervention for Veteran Couples (5IK2RX003777-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10834882. Licensed CC0.

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