Can skills training prevent relationship problems in at-risk couples? Four-year effects of a behavioral relationship education program.
Eighty-three couples were stratified into groups at high and low risk for relationship distress and randomized to either the Self-Regulatory Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (Self-PREP) or a control condition. As predicted, there were differential effects of Self-PREP on high-risk and low-risk couples. Because of low statistical power, results must be interpreted cautiously, but at 1-year follow-up high-risk couples in Self-PREP showed trends toward better communication than control couples. However, there was no difference in the communication of Self-PREP and control low-risk couples. High-risk couples receiving Self-PREP exhibited higher relationship satisfaction at 4 years than control couples, but in low-risk couples relationship satisfaction was higher in the control condition. High-risk couples seemed to benefit from skills-based relationship education, but low-risk couples did not.
Halford
W K
WK
School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia. k.halford@mailbox.gu.edu.au
Sanders
M R
MR
Behrens
B C
BC
D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008388:Marital Therapy; D008393:Marriage; D012306:Risk; D016896:Treatment Outcome