The Role of Relational Instability on Individual and Partner Outcomes Following Couple Relationship Education Participation (original) (raw)
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Family Relations, 2014
The association between depression and marital satisfaction has been clearly documented. Theoretical approaches describe the direction of effects as depression leading to marital dissatisfaction (stress generation model) and, alternately, marital dissatisfaction leading to depression (marital discord model). Clinical research indicates that treating the relationship of unstable couples can result in improvements in relationship satisfaction and depression. However, many unstable couples may not attend therapy and choose rather to attend Couple and Relationship Education (CRE). Using 250 ethnically diverse couples in community CRE classes, the authors found that relationally School of Family Life, 239 TLRB, Provo, UT 84602 (angela_bradford@byu.edu). * Human Development and Family Studies, 203 Spidle Hall, Auburn, AL 36849.
Journal of marital and family therapy, 2016
Although Couple and Relationship Education (CRE) programs were intended to be preventive in nature, an emerging reality is that relationally distressed couples are attending programs. This has raised questions about both its general usefulness and what is known regarding predictors of change in CRE for distressed couples particularly. Previous work has identified dosage and duration as important moderators of changes, and there are myriad program contexts offered, highlighting the need to examine these among distressed couples. This study utilized a sample of community CRE participants and examined received dosage and program duration as predictors of change. Comparing results for distressed and non-distressed participants, we found several group differences. Findings suggest that it is important to consider distress level and time spent in programs when placing participants. In addition, research should continue to examine these groups separately (or comparatively) to find out what...
The Malaysian journal of nursing, 2022
INTRODUCTION Generally, minor conflicts within romantic relationships are typical. However, these are situational problems causing conflicts among couples. Marital strain, a complexity that includes friction and disharmony, is common (Tracy & Utz, 2020). However, these common feelings of complexity can create more conflicts with people's intolerance of dealing with relational issues in some instances. This low tolerance can lead to a significant struggle, causing them to experience more challenges in solving a normal marital conflict (Navidian et al., 2014). Hence, the psychological distress resulting from poor adjustment. Karney & Bradbury (2005) assume that these poor skills in adaptation and problem-solving following major life events can deteriorate the quality of the marital relationship. Once the couples find difficulty in dealing with marital conflicts, they will experience more marital strain, leading to relationship instability. Relationship instability, which creates an additional burden to the couple, has contributed to relationship disconnection. Factors like stress play a vital role in the flux of relationship status and in understanding the stability of intimate relationships and the quality of romantic relationships (Randall & Bodenmann, 2009). Concentrating on stress is judicious. However, relatively few studies focused on the context of the role of psychological distress on relational health instability
Couple relationship education (RE) usually is conceived of as relationship enhancement for currently satisfied couples, with a goal of helping couples sustain satisfaction. However, RE also might be useful as a brief, accessible intervention for couples with low satisfaction. Two studies were conducted that tested whether couples with low relationship satisfaction show meaningful gains after RE. Study 1 was a three-condition randomized controlled trial in which 182 couples were randomly assigned to RELATE with Couple CARE (RCC), a flexible delivery education program for couples, or one of two control conditions. Couples with initially low satisfaction receiving RCC showed a moderate increase in relationship satisfaction (d = 0.50) relative to the control. In contrast, couples initially high in satisfaction showed little change and there was no difference between RCC and the control conditions. Study 2 was an uncontrolled trial of the Couple Coping Enhancement Training (CCET) administered to 119 couples. Couples receiving CCET that had initially low satisfaction showed a moderate increase in satisfaction (g = .44), whereas initially highly satisfied couples showed no change. Brief relationship education can assist somewhat distressed couples to enhance satisfaction, and has potential as a cost-effective way of enhancing the reach of couple interventions. Couple relationship education (RE) usually is conceived of as relationship enhancement for currently
Family Relations, 1996
A preventive intervention was randomly offered to a group of 67 non-to mildly distressed couples who participated in a larger study on relationships. At the 9-month follow-up, couples in which one partner experienced parental divorce demonstrated a significant increase in problem intensity and a trend toward decreased problem solving ability and relational efficacy, whereas couples from intact families of origin showed the opposite. At the 2-year follow-up, no significant differences were found between the two groups. At both follow-ups, participation in the preventive intervention did not appear to have a protective influence on decline in relationship functioning forpersons whose parents divorced and their partners. iven the high rates of marital dis-G tress and divorce (Centraal Bureau voor Statistiek, 1988; National Center for Health Statistics, 1990) and the severe consequences of these for partners and children (Bloom, Asher, & White, 1978; Emery, 1982), many professionals have called for preventive interventions (Coie et al., 1993; Markman, Floyd, Stanley, & Storaasli, 1988). However, only a few programs have been evaluated to date and additional research is still needed before larger scale implementation can be justified. An impressive evaluation of a preventive intervention for couples is a longitudinal study in Denver by Markman and his colleagues (Markman,
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2017
Objective: Relationship education (RE) usually is conceived of as relationship enhancement for currently satisfied couples, with a goal of helping couples sustain satisfaction. However, RE also might be useful as a brief, indicated intervention for couples with low satisfaction. The current study evaluated the effect of RE on couples with low and high relationship satisfaction. Method: The study was a randomized controlled trial in which 182 couples were randomly assigned to: a book reading control condition (control); RELATE online assessment with feedback and relationship goal setting (RELATE); or RELATE with CoupleCARE (RCC), a flexible delivery skill-based education program. Couples were assessed on relationship satisfaction and individual mental health before and after RE, and through to 4-year follow-up. Results: Couples with high initial satisfaction showed no effects of RE on satisfaction. RCC but not RELATE increased satisfaction in couples with low initial satisfaction, but effects dissipated between 6 and 12 months after RE. There were no effects of RE on mental health. Conclusion: Flexible delivery RE produces immediate effects as an indicated early intervention for couples with low relationship satisfaction, but the effects attenuate. Future research needs to seek methods to produce better maintained effects. What is the public health significance of this article? Flexible delivery relationship education (RE) has no demonstrable benefit for couples high in satisfaction, and universal offering is not justified at this time. RE enhances relationship satisfaction in couples with low relationship satisfaction, but that effect dissipates across 6 to 12 months. Indicated offering of RE might be warranted, but there needs to be further research on how best to enhance maintenance of effects.
Journal of Family Psychology, 2014
In the past several decades, a number of largely atheoretical individual and meta-analytic studies of couple relationship education (CRE) programs have focused on program effectiveness without considerations of how these programs work and for whom. To address this gap in the literature, the current study drew upon assumptions from social-cognitive and behavioral theories that are implicit in CRE design to assess the influence of short-term changes from pre-to posttreatment in behaviors and commitment on changes in relationship quality among a racially and economically diverse group of 2,824 individuals who participated in a CRE program. Findings from structural equation modeling indicated that the best-fitting model for both men and women was one in which changes in behaviors predicted changes in relationship quality via their influence on changes in commitment. Further, a series of moderational analyses provided some evidence to suggest that the strength of the relationships between these variables may depend to a small extent on the social address of the participants (race, income) and to a greater extent on characteristics of the CRE experience (i.e., beginning the class at lower levels of functioning, attending with a partner). Findings help us begin to understand the influences among domains of change that occur as a result of participating in a CRE program, as well as offering some useful information to practitioners on demographic and contextual moderators of program outcomes. Implications for future research on the mechanisms of change for CRE are presented.
PLOS ONE
Some studies suggest a bi-directional association between low relationship quality and depression. However, the social impact of depression and the potential preventative effects of healthy relationships are not yet sufficiently understood, as studies have shown heterogenous results for effects in both directions. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to differentiate the actor and partner effects of this association more comprehensively using two measures to capture characteristics of relationship quality–firstly regarding general aspects of social system quality and secondly considering specific aspects of the romantic relationship. 110 different-sex couples were included, being separated in partners with highly pronounced depressive symptoms in women (Cw/DW) versus partners with low depressive symptoms (LDCs). We investigated effects cross-sectionally using multi-group analyses to predict relationship (couple specific questionnaire: PFB) versus system quality (general system ...
Risk Moderates the Outcome of Relationship Education: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2015
Objective: To test whether the effects of relationship education programs generalize across couples regardless of their baseline levels of risk for relationship distress, or whether intervention effects vary systematically as a function of risk. The former result would support primary prevention models; the latter result would support a shift toward secondary prevention strategies.
Couple relationship education (RE) usually is conceived of as relationship enhancement for currently satisfied couples, with a goal of helping couples sustain satisfaction. However, RE also might be useful as a brief, accessible intervention for couples with low satisfaction. Two studies were conducted that tested whether couples with low relationship satisfaction show meaningful gains after RE. Study 1 was a three condition randomized controlled trial in which 182 couples were randomly assigned to RELATE with Couple CARE (RCC), a flexible delivery education program for couples, or one of two control conditions. Couples with initially low satisfaction receiving RCC showed a moderate increase in relationship satisfaction (d = 0.50) relative to the control. In contrast, couples initially high in satisfaction showed little change and there was no difference between RCC and the control conditions. Study 2 was an uncontrolled trial of the Couple Coping Enhancement Training (CCET) administered to 119 couples. Couples receiving CCET who had initially low satisfaction showed a moderate increase in satisfaction (g = .44), whereas initially highly satisfied couple showed no change. Brief relationship education can assist somewhat distressed couples to enhance satisfaction, and has potential as a cost effective way of enhancing reach of couple interventions.