Couples program to reduce partner violence and alcohol use in South India
Official title: A combined motivational interviewing and behavioral couples therapy intervention to reduce intimate partner violence and alcohol use in South India
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11098763 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program combines couple-focused counseling and motivational interviewing to help couples in South India reduce heavy drinking and intimate partner violence.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $481,626 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA029303-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11098763 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are couples in South India where one partner has problematic alcohol use and there is a history or risk of intimate partner violence.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not in a partnered relationship, who live far from study sites in South India, or who need immediate specialized psychiatric or legal safety interventions are unlikely to benefit from this program.
What this research studies
You and your partner would attend joint counseling sessions that teach communication and problem-solving skills while using motivational interviewing to support changes in drinking. The program includes contingency management (small incentives) to encourage reduced alcohol use. Sessions are designed to work with both partners together, not just one person, and to be delivered in low-resource local settings. The aim is to improve safety, relationship functioning, and health risks linked to drinking and violence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower intimate partner violence and harmful drinking and reduce related health risks like HIV and poor maternal outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown benefit for either alcohol use or partner violence separately, but combined, scalable couple-based programs are less tested and this project builds on promising pilot data.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ekstrand, Maria L. — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Ekstrand, Maria L.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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A program that blends motivational interviewing with behavioral couples therapy to help reduce intimate partner violence and alcohol use among couples in South India.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.