Montefiore Medical Center Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education Program

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Total Enrollment

1029 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2016-07-01

Study Completion Date

2020-09-30

Brief Summary

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The proposed program will flexibly provide an array of relationship promotion activities incorporating case management and job placement/career advancement activities: marriage and relationship education; pre-marital education and marriage skills; marriage enhancement and marriage skills for married couples; and divorce reduction and relationship skills. In addition, our proposed local evaluation will examine factors that might account for the observed impacts of attending relationship education programs (i.e., higher levels of relationship satisfaction), including dosage of workshops, relationship commitment and longevity, and skill learning.

Detailed Description

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The objective of the proposed evaluation is to delineate those factors and sub-groups that account for the observed impact of HMRE services on the quality of relationships. Specifically, we are interested in investigating the following factors:

1. Commitment: Are couples that are more committed to each other (measured in terms of marital status, duration of relationship, or relationship commitment scale scores) more motivated to attend a greater number of HMRE workshops? Do they actually learn more relationship skills, and report improvements in their relationship quality?
2. Hopefulness: How does hopefulness about the relationship impact outcomes?
3. Dosage: Is attendance at a greater number of workshops related to improvements in relationship satisfaction and relationship quality?
4. Couple characteristics: How are various demographic factors related to observed outcomes?
5. Skill acquisition: How much did couples actually learn during the course of the relationship workshop?

In order to explore these research questions, we will be conducting an evaluation that utilizes pre-and post-survey data and qualitative interview information from participants. This will be a descriptive study and not a random assignment design. Data collection will begin when couples who expressed interest in the program attend a preliminary interview with one of Montefiore's clinical staff on site. The program and study will be explained to the couple and they will be asked to consent to participate. Once consent is gathered, on-site staff will administer measures required by our funders through an online system called nForm, or Information, Family Outcomes, Reporting, and Management. This online system was developed by Mathematica Policy Research, an agency contracted by the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a Cross-Site evaluation of all grantees who received funding to provide relationship education services. Preliminary demographic information will be collected through surveys completed by participants online through secure web browsing at a Montefiore facility.

Conditions

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Parenting Family Relationships

Keywords

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parenting relationships relationship education couples marriage

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

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Local Evaluation

The SHR program intends to serves couples who are over 18 years of age, are in a romantic relationship, and have at least one child (biological or adopted) under the age of 18 residing in the home or are expecting.

Relationship Education

Intervention Type OTHER

We will provide the following 4 activities: 1) marriage and relationship education \[using a modified version of the empirically supported Loving Couples, Loving Children (LCLC); 2) pre-marital education and marriage skills; 3) marriage enhancement and marriage skills for married couples; and 4) divorce reduction and relationship skills.

All couples will be expected to participate in 24 hours of core relationship education workshops (including parenting education). Since parental financial support represents a core element of family stability, relationship education workshops will address motivation for providing financial support through employment for all couples (employed and unemployed) as well as how to manage conflicts over money. All couples will be invited to supplemental workshops (with couples from other cohorts) on topics of specialized interest, including employment services and financial literacy (i.e. budgeting, debt, etc.).

Employment Services

Intervention Type OTHER

For couples in need of job search, job retention, and career advancement services, we will provide employment services.

Interventions

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Relationship Education

We will provide the following 4 activities: 1) marriage and relationship education \[using a modified version of the empirically supported Loving Couples, Loving Children (LCLC); 2) pre-marital education and marriage skills; 3) marriage enhancement and marriage skills for married couples; and 4) divorce reduction and relationship skills.

All couples will be expected to participate in 24 hours of core relationship education workshops (including parenting education). Since parental financial support represents a core element of family stability, relationship education workshops will address motivation for providing financial support through employment for all couples (employed and unemployed) as well as how to manage conflicts over money. All couples will be invited to supplemental workshops (with couples from other cohorts) on topics of specialized interest, including employment services and financial literacy (i.e. budgeting, debt, etc.).

Intervention Type OTHER

Employment Services

For couples in need of job search, job retention, and career advancement services, we will provide employment services.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* In a committed relationship
* 18 years or older
* expecting a child or are caring for a child in the home at least 50% of the time (biological, foster, adopted, kinship care, etc.)

Exclusion Criteria

* Active intimate partner violence and increased risk of intimate partner violence

Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Responsible Party

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Traci Maynigo

Program Director

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Scott Wetzler, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Montefiore Medical Center

Locations

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