title: Altering the course of marriage: the effect of PREP communication skills acquisition on couples' risk of becoming maritally distressed.
abstract: This longitudinal study predicted marital outcome from communication skills gained from participation in the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP; H. J. Markman, S. L. Blumberg & S. M. Stanley, 1989; Stanley et al., 2001) by 39 women and 38 men. Results were in the expected direction for men but not for women. Men's pre- to posttest decrease in negative communication and increase in positive communication predicted decreased risk of marital distress onset in men. Women's pre- to posttest increase in positive communication, which was related to self-reported avoidance of problem solving, predicted an increased risk of male and female distress onset. Couples with men relatively high on premarital risk factors demonstrated a greater benefit from men's positive communication skills acquisition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. eschilling@uchc.edu
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Schilling
authors.forename: Donald H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Baucom
authors.forename: Charles K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Burnett
authors.forename: Elizabeth Sandin
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Lynelle
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ragland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008388:Marital Therapy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011340:Problem Solving; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome