Andrew P. Daire

A More Optimistic Perspective on Government-Supported Marriage and Relationship Education Programs for Lower Income Couples.

Comments on the original article by Matthew D. Johnson (see record 2012-08242-001). It is important to challenge some of Johnsons points about the effectiveness and reach of interventions to lower income couples and couples of color and his suggested prioritization of basic over applied research. With emerging findings and practical knowledge gained in lower income communities from all across the United States over the past decade, we see evidence to support optimism for the potential utility of marriage and relationship education (MRE) programs to help disadvantaged and minority couples. Accordingly, continued support for these efforts is justified. We anticipate that the potential of these first-generation programs will only increase as the research Johnson called for advances our understanding of low-income and minority couple relationships, as more programs are rigorously evaluated, and as we learn and disseminate best practices from programs now in the field.

Fruits of Improved Communication: The Experiences of Hispanic Couples in a Relationship Education Program

Marital and relationship education (MRE) has demonstrated its efficacy as a viable intervention helpful to couples and individuals who receive it. However, an overrepresentation of Caucasian populations existed in MRE research resulting in a need to understand how MRE is received by those in underserved populations. The current study reports the findings derived from focus groups consisting of Hispanic individuals and couples who attended and completed 20 hours of MRE using a PREP-based curriculum. Participants were asked five questions regarding differences they perceived in their relationships as a result of attending the MRE program. While participants agreed that they had learned and acquired new communication skills, they also reported substantial changes in the amount of peace and calm in their homes as well as increased understanding of and patience toward their partners. Additionally, participants reported sharing what they had learned in the MRE with family members who were not in attendance. This seemed to represent an effort to “pay it forward” to their loved ones. This study suggests that the benefits of MRE for these Hispanic families were felt well beyond those who actually attended the MRE program.

Examining Passive and Active Recruitment Methods for Low-Income Couples in Relationship Education

One of the most difficult aspects of studying low-income couples is the effective implementation of recruitment and retention strategies. Low-income couples face environmental stressors that make participation difficult, and research has yet to identify efficacious methods of recruiting and retaining low-income couples into funded studies. Researchers and practitioners targeting low-income participants rely on a “learn-as-they-go” approach. Therefore, we examined passive and active recruitment strategies for 394 married participants with children under age 18 and reporting a total household income within 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines who participated in a federally funded couples and relationship education program. Univariate ANOVAs indicated significant differences between recruitment method and total time spent in couples and relationship education workshops for both women and men. Further, results indicated a relationship exists between recruitment method and the number of follow-up contacts required before participants attended the initial intake appointment. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Examining Recruitment Follow-Up Phone Calls and Their Influence on Attendance for Husbands and Wives in a Marriage and Relationship Education Program

Low-income married couples face unique stressors that contribute to increased relationship distress. Federal funding has supported research initiatives aimed at studying how marriage and relationship education (MRE) influences the relationships of low-income married participants. However, research identified recruitment and retention of low-income participants as a major obstacle to the replication of these programs. Therefore, this study examined programmatic data from 786 low-income married participants to investigate how recruitment follow-up influenced attendance in the MRE program. A weak, inverse relationship was found for women between the number of pre-enrollment phone calls made and hours spent in MRE. We found a statistically significant difference between who was contacted (wife, husband, or both) and attendance to the initial intake appointment for program enrollment. Implications and future research are discussed.

Multiple Family Adventure-Based Therapy Groups: An Innovative Integration of Two Approaches

The adventure-based counseling (ABC) approach integrates counseling and experiential education in an outdoor environment and the Multiple Family Therapy Group (MFTG) treats multiple families concurrently. This article presents the history, theoretical basis, benefits, and challenges for each of these approaches. A proposed model integrates both approaches for an innovative, multi-month intervention for MFTGs. Additionally, the article presents treatment implications along with benefits, challenges, ethical considerations, and modifications for use with individual families.

Examining Relationship Satisfaction and Individual Distress for Low-to-Moderate Income Couples in Relationship Education

Although economic disadvantage is linked to poor relationship quality and increased individual distress, emerging literature supports couples and relationship education as effective at improving relationship quality for low-income couples. However, relationship education’s influence on individual distress for low-income couples has not yet been determined. We provided relationship education using the Prevention Relationship Enhancement Program curriculum to 96 low-to-moderate income married couples with children and examined changes in relationship quality and individual distress pre, post, and 3–6 months after intervention. We found significant improvements in relationship satisfaction and significant individual distress decreases. Implications are discussed.

An Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Protocol Readiness Model

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a widespread, pervasive issue that affects heterosexual and same-sex relationships. However, IPV is largely underreported, and many counselors do not formally assess for relationship violence. Additionally, counselors typically do not have a plan to manage disclosures of violence when they occur. We present an IPV Protocol Readiness Model that helps counselors determine their readiness to assess for IPV as well as manage disclosures. Additionally, we present a questionnaire intended to provide guidance for counselors regarding organizational and community factors important to the success of an IPV protocol. Finally, we discuss practical applications and suggestions for further research.

Family Adjustment Measure Scale Construction and Validation

We administered the Family Adjustment Measure to 368 parents of children with special needs to identify positive adjustment. We randomly split the sample to conduct exploratory factor analysis (n = 194) and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 174). Results indicated four possible subscales and that explain 51% of the variance.

Gender Expression Differences in Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence Victimization, Perpetration, and Attitudes among LGBTQ College Students

Intimate partnerviolence (IPV) occurs in same-sex relationships at greater rates compared to heterosexual relationships. Despite these elevated same-sex IPV, limited research exists on risk and protective factors (e.g., gender expression) related to victimization, perpetration, and attitudes about violence. Due to scarce research on characteristics of same-sex IPV, the study measured differences between feminine and masculine lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) college students (N = 266) in their self-reported victimization, perpetration, and acceptance of IPV. Results identified that masculine LGBTQ-identifying students reported higher levels of victimization, perpetration, and acceptance of violence, providing implications when assessing for risk and protective factors of same-sex IPV.

Examining Parental Alliance for Low-Income Participants Who Attended Relationship Education With or Without a Partner

Couples and relationship education (CRE) programs indicate positive results for low-income couples who attend. However, most studies examined relationship satisfaction or communication patterns, with few addressing the influence of CRE on parental alliance and even fewer examining parental alliances for those who attend couples-level and individual-level programs. Thus, we examined changes in parental alliance for participants who attended CRE individually (n = 182) and with their partner (n = 190). Participants who attended couples level CRE with a partner reported significant parental alliance improvements at post-assessments, while those who attended individual level CRE independently did not.