Couples-Oriented Psychosocial Intervention for Osteoarthritis

The patient-oriented education and support intervention (PES) is based on the Arthritis Self-Management Program, a group intervention that consists of 6 weekly 2 hour sessions shown to successfully reduce pain severity and depressive symptomatology and to enhance a sense of efficacy in managing arthritis pain and other symptoms. The couple-oriented education and support intervention (CES) is a group education and support intervention that consisted of 6 weekly 2 hour sessions attended by individuals with OA and their spouses. All components of the PES are covered in the CES using the standard format, and topics are framed as couples' issues whenever possible.