Intervening with Military Couples Struggling with Issues of Sexual Infidelity

Both the prevalence and adverse impact of infidelity argue for the importance of disseminating evidence-based interventions
for couples struggling with this highly disruptive event. We describe an integrative approach for promoting recovery from
infidelity drawing on empirically supported treatments for couple distress as well as empirical literature regarding recovery
from interpersonal trauma and recovery from relationship injuries. We then describe a structured 8 session adaptation of this
protocol tailored to military couples struggling with issues of infidelity. Reaching these high-risk couples requires extending
both the availability and efficacy of services delivered by professionals within the military from diverse disciplines. We
present initial findings indicating that US Army chaplains receiving training in this structured protocol not only can learn
information regarding the conceptual underpinnings and specific interventions comprising this treatment, but also can apply
it appropriately in analog clinical situations. We conclude with suggestions for extending dissemination efforts to reduce
acute adverse consequences experienced by service members and their partners experiencing infidelity.