title: Community-based prevention of marital dysfunction: multilevel modeling of a randomized effectiveness study.
abstract: This study is a cluster randomized controlled trial of the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP; H. J. Markman, S. M. Stanley, & S. L. Blumberg, 2001). Fifty-seven religious organizations (ROs), consisting of 217 newlywed couples, were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 intervention conditions: PREP delivered by university clinicians (U-PREP), PREP delivered by RO clergy (ROPREP), and naturally occurring (NO) marriage preparation. Self-reported relationship satisfaction, negative behavior, and positive behavior were assessed at preintervention, postintervention, and 1-year follow-up. Trajectories of relationship satisfaction showed no change over time and did not differ across conditions. Trajectories of negative behavior for RO-PREP wives showed significantly greater linear declines in comparison with NO trajectories. Trajectories of positive behavior for NO and U-PREP partners showed significant declines compared with RO-PREP trajectories. Effectiveness, transportability, and dissemination of marital distress prevention programs in community settings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 459 Flipse Building, Coral Gables, FL 33146-0751, USA. jlaurenceau@miami.edu
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Laurenceau
authors.forename: Scott M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olmos-Gallo
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baucom
authors.forename: Howard J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Markman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires