Behavioural couples therapy improved psychosocial functioning of children whose fathers have alcoholism or other drug abuse.

Setting 4 sites in New York State, USA. Patients 135 heterosexual couples (mean age 37 y) in which men were entering outpatient treatment for AL (71 couples) or ODA (64 couples). Inclusion criteria for men included DSM-III-R criteria for psychoactive substance abuse or dependence. Exclusion criteria included either partner being in a methadone maintenance programme or having a major mental disorder, or couples in which women had a recent psychoactive substance use disorder. Follow up was 82%.