Emerging professionals practicing family science: Reflections of peer educators delivering relationship education

• Published date: 01 December 2023
• Author: Alyssa McElwain,Vanessa Finnegan
• Date: 01 December 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12806

RESEARCH

Emerging professionals practicing family science:

Reflections of peer educators delivering

relationship education

Alyssa McElwain

1

|Vanessa Finnegan

2

1

Department of Family & Consumer Sciences,

University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

2

Department of Human Development &

Family Science, Auburn University,

Auburn, AL

Correspondence

Alyssa McElwain, 1000 E. University

Avenue, University of Wyoming, Laramie,

WY 82071, USA.

Email: amcelwai@uwyo.edu

Funding information

USDA National Institute of Food and

Agriculture, Grant/Award Number: Hatch

project #WYO-584-17

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to understand the experiences

of peer educators who taught healthy marriage and rela-

tionship education (HMRE) to their peers.

Background: Peer-led health-promoting programs can

benefit program recipients, yet less is known about the

experiences of peer educators themselves. Literature indi-

cates peer educators of HMRE may experience several

practical, personal, and interpersonal impacts.

Method: This qualitative study used purposeful sampling to

analyze reflection papers from 15 peer educators enrolled in a

service-learning course at a public university. The researchers

implemented an interpretive phenomenological approach to

understand what peer educators experienced as active partici-

pants implementing HMRE programming.

Results: Themes emerged about personal impacts such as

the application of HMRE content to their own relation-

ships. Peer educators developed an understanding of

HMRE program implementation, explored family life edu-

cation as a potential career, and developed key professional

skills. Peer educators reflected on the reciprocal interactions

with audience members and challenges and benefits of

collaborating to implement an HMRE program.

Conclusion: A peer educator approach to delivering

HMRE programming provides a unique, challenging,

and beneficial opportunity for emerging family science

professionals.

Implications: A peer educator approach to delivering

HMRE programming is an impactful method for training

future family science professionals.

Author note: This work was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch

project #WYO-584-17.

Received: 10 May 2021Revised: 21 April 2022Accepted: 23 October 2022

DOI: 10.1111/fare.12806

© 2022 National Council on Family Relations.

Family Relations. 2023;72:2589–2609. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fare 2589

KEYWORDS

career/professional development, emerging adult educators, family life

education, premarital assessment and education, prevention/intervention

programs and issues

The success of the field of family science, particularly family life education, depends on compe-

tent professionals. Within social science academic programs, undergraduates acquire knowledge

about human development and family sciences (HDFS) but may lack opportunities to apply

this knowledge outside of the classroom. Service learning and peer education models that train

students to deliver prevention programs can promote high-impact learning and reflective prac-

tice for emerging or up-and-coming HDFS professionals (Newman, 2017). Peer education is

frequently used in sexual health programs (Sun et al., 2018), within the medical profession

(de Menezes & Premnath, 2016), and in prevention programs on college campuses

(Wawrzynski et al., 2011) and shows effectiveness for participants in both sexual health and

relationship education (McElwain et al., 2016; Sun et al., 2018). Research is clear that peer-led

educational programming benefits program recipients, yet less is known about the experiences

of peer educators themselves. The purpose of the current study is to understand the perceptions

of peer educators who teach healthy marriage and relationship education (HMRE).

PEER EDUCATION AND SERVICE LEARNING

Service learning, a specific type of experiential learning, relies on the experience of providing a

service to the community as the basis for learning and requires that one reflects on the experi-

ence to meet learning objectives (Felten & Clayton, 2011; Jacoby, 2015). Previous research on

service learning in human sciences typically involves naturally occurring experiences

(e.g., volunteering at a retirement home; Andreoletti & Howard, 2018) rather than highly struc-

tured activities such as implementing a prevention program within a course. A formal course

structure provides scaffolding for students to apply the 10 Family Life Education (FLE)content

areas, with a focus on FLE methodology. The project described in this article offered HMRE

programming as an extracurricular opportunity for young adults, taught by peer educators

enrolled in an undergraduate service-learning course.

The use of service learning to achieve educational outcomes is supported by theories of

learning and human development. According to Arnett’s (2007) theory of emerging adult-

hood, young adults aged 18 to 25 focus on identity formation and are interested in opportuni-

ties to explore different roles in professional and personal domains. According to Knowles’s

(1984) theory of adult learning or andragogy, adults are interested in taking initiative with

their learning and applying information to real problems. This suggests that emerging adult

learners are likely interested in applying coursework to preventing unhealthy romantic rela-

tionships. Additionally, adults are most interested in learning when the content has clear and

immediate relevance for their own professional development (Knowles, 1984). Reflection of

self within context is an important element of courses with a focus on applied learning experi-

ences and is promoted for its utility in higher education (McLeod et al., 2020). Finally, Kolb’s

(2014) model of experiential learning outlines the specific manner through which students

learn from experiences, including (a) concrete experience, (b) observation of and reflection on

that experience, (c) formation and synthesis of abstract concepts based on reflection, and

(4) active experimentation to test concepts in novel situations. A peer education model of

HMRE delivery is aligned with theories of learning and individual development; specifically,

the literature indicates that peer educators may experience several practical, personal, and

interpersonal impacts.

2590 FAMILY RELATIONS