Individual‐Oriented Relationship Education: An Evaluation Study in Community‐Based Settings

• Author: Chandra Winder,Melissa Richmond,Pallavi D. Visvanathan,Cynthia Hoskins Koenck
• Date: 01 December 2015
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12116
• Published date: 01 December 2015

Individual-Oriented Relationship Education: An

Evaluation Study in Community-Based Settings

PALLAVI D. VISVANATHAN*

MELISSA RICHMOND*

CHANDRA WINDER*

CYNTHIA HOSKINS KOENCK

†

The effects of relationship education aimed at individuals, rather than couples, have not

yet been widely investigated. However, increasingly, relationship education is provided to

large and diverse groups of individuals who may be in varying stages of relationships. Sev-

eral programs have been developed to strengthen relationship competencies among single

individuals as well as among partnered individuals who, for a variety of reasons, seek rela -

tionship education without their partners. The current study is an exploratory evaluation

study that examined self-reported outcomes for 706 single and partnered individuals who

attended Within My Reach classes delivered in community-based agencies. Participants

were from diverse backgrounds and exhibited many of the risk factors for poor relationship

outcomes including unemployment, low income, and childhood experience of abuse or

neglect. Pre-post analyses indicated that the program was beneficial for both singles and

partnered individuals. Singles reported increased belief in ability to obtain healthy rela-

tionships. Partnered individuals reported increased relationship quality, relationship con-

fidence, and reduced conflict. Regardless of relationship status, participants also repo rted

improvement in general relationship and communication skill. Results support the utility

of individual-oriented relationship education for singles and partnered individuals with

diverse background characteristics.

Keywords: Relationship Educa tion; Within My Reach; Individual-Oriented; Community-

Based; Relationship Conflict; Relationship Quality; Relationship Confidence;

Communication Skills

Fam Proc 54:686–702, 2014

Relationship education has been widely studied and promoted over the last several dec-

ades, most typically with middle-income, Caucasian couples who were either married

or engaged to be married (Dion, 2005; Hawkins, Blanchard, Baldwin, & Fawcett, 2008;

Stanley, Pearson, & Kline, 2005). Extant studies have demonstrated that marriage and

relationship education programs improve the quality of couples’ relationships and their

communication skills (Blanchard, Hawkins, Baldwin, & Fawcett, 2009; Hawkins et al.,

*OMNI Institute, Denver CO.

†

Peer Assistance Services, Inc., Denver CO.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Pallavi Visvanathan, OMNI Institute,

899 Logan Street, Suite 600, Denver CO 80203. E-mail: pvisvanathan@omni.org.

The Healthy Relationships Program and the evaluation study were funded by a Healthy Marriage Dem-

onstration grant (October 2006 –September 2011) from the Administration for Children and Families that

was awarded to Peer Assistance Services, Inc., a Colorado 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency providing prevention

and intervention services in workplaces and communities, focusing on substance abuse and related issues.

We wish to acknowledge Elizabeth Pace, CEO, Peer Assistance Services for support of the Healthy Rela-

tionships Program evaluation and manuscript publication.

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Family Process, Vol. 54, No. 4, 2015 ©2014 Family Process Institute

doi: 10.1111/famp.12116

2008; Stanley, Allen et al., 2005). Improvement in relationship and marriage quality is

thought to have a positive effect in a variety of domains including health, work prod uctiv-

ity, and children’s health and development (Gable, Crnic, & Belsky, 1994; Higginbotham,

2012). As a result, the last decade witnessed significant public funding for marriage educa-

tion and enrichment, particularly focused on individuals at high risk for marital and

family instability (Dion, 2005; Ooms & Wilson, 2004). Such policy and funding initiatives

are directed toward the development of community-based programs to provide individuals

and couples, primarily those who struggle with economic insecurity, with the skills and

knowledge to form and sustain healthy marriages that foster family stability, reduce

poverty, and improve children’s well-being.

Recent years have seen an increase in the publication of studies examining the

impact of relationship education programs for low-income couples (Hawkins & Fack-

rell, 2010; Markman & Rhoades, 2012), including those at-risk for relationship distress

and marital instability, or facing situations or hardships that are associated with fam-

ily stressors. This body of work has examined couples-based programs targeting

unmarried, romantically involved new (or expecting) parents (Cox & Shirer, 2009;

Owen, Quirk, Bergen, Inch, & France, 2012; Wood, McConnell, Moore, Clarkwest, &

Hsueh, 2010); couples-based relationship skills training for low-income married (or

expecting) parents (Hsueh et al., 2012); in-home relations hip-based coaching for mostly

low-income, unwed couples who share a child (Wilde & Doherty, 2013); programs for

low-income single parents or at-risk individuals implemented through public assis-

tance or social service delivery (Antle et al., 2013; Sparks, 2008) ; and relationship edu-

cation workshops with inmates (attending with or without partners) in prison settings

(Einhorn et al., 2008) and after release from prison (Shamblen, Arnold, McKiernan,

Collins, & Strader, 2013). While several studies report positive outcomes of relation-

ship skills education programs targeting low-income individuals, couples, and families

(Antle et al., 2013; Cox & Shirer, 2009; Einhorn et al., 2008; Hawkins & Ooms, 2012;

Hsueh et al., 2012; Owen et al., 2012; Shamblen et al., 2013), some with strong meth-

odologies do not (Wood, Moore, Clarkwest, Killewald, & Monahan, 2012; Wood et al.,

2010). In addition, when significant program effects are found, effect sizes tend to be

small-to-moderate (Hawkins & Fackrell, 2010). These findings have led to controversy

over the efficacy of relationship education targeting low-income and ethnic minority

populations (Hawkins et al., 2013; Johnson, 2012, 2013).

Thus, there is still much to be learned about relationship education services delivered

through community-based programs that are expected to meet the needs of lower income

and diverse populations of individuals and couples. Many of the studies of low-income pop-

ulations have examined couple-based interventions, often at critical junctures in couples’

lives (e.g., after the birth of a child). We know less about programs that serve single indi-

viduals or one member of a couple attending without a partner. Relationship education,

including publicly funded efforts, extends beyond couple-based interventions and includes

activities that can help individuals at various stages of their romantic lives (Hawkins,

Carroll, Doherty, & Willoughby, 2004; Rhoades & Stanley, 2009; Stanley, Allen et al.,

2005). For example, single individuals can benefit from relationship education that

teaches effective conflict management and communication skills and what to look for in a

healthy relationship, with the goal of improving relationship readiness, confidence, and

skills (Hawkins & Fackrell, 2010; Rhoades & Stanley, 2009; Stanley, Allen et al., 2005).

Moreover, many individuals in committed or long-term relationships may benefit from

relationship education but may be unable to attend as a couple for various reasons (e.g.,

scheduling logistics make it difficult for both partners to attend, one member of the couple

is not present due to military service, incarceration, or separation for other reasons, or one

member of the couple may not be willing or interested).

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