Who Benefits from Couple Relationship Education? Findings from the Largest German CRE Study

Do high-risk couples profit more or less from couple relationship education programs than low-risk couples? Room for improvement and vulnerability effects

In recent years it has been discussed whether high-risk couples benefit more from Couple Relationship Education programs (CREs) than low-risk couples due to larger room for improvement, or profit less due to greater vulnerability. Pertinent response prediction studies yielded inconclusive results. Careful review suggests this may be due to: statistical handling (not disentangling room for improvement and vulnerability effects), time frame analyzed (not disentangling opposing effects during intervention and follow-up), sampling, and selection of risk factors. We used an analytic strategy that maximized odds for replicability and tested two hypotheses: (1) room for improvement: pre-intervention relationship dissatisfaction predicts gain in satisfaction during intervention, and decline during follow up, and (2) vulnerability: when adjusted for room for improvement (pre-intervention relationship dissatisfaction), risk factors show negative or negligible, but no positive associations with gain in satisfaction. Actor-Partner Interdependence Modeling (APIM) was employed in 79 self-referred (SR) couples and 50 clinician-referred (CR) couples who had completed the 'Hold me Tight' program, a CRE based on Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy. Our findings supported both the room for improvement hypothesis, with pre-intervention dissatisfaction predicting more gain during intervention (both samples) and decline during follow-up (SR sample, for the CR sample the effect was negligible), and the vulnerability hypothesis, as several negative, but no positive effects of risk factors were observed during intervention and follow-up. Specific risk factors did not replicate between samples. To promote replicable results in future research, we advocate disentangling room for improvement and vulnerability effects, separately testing effects during intervention and follow-up, purposeful sampling, and studying a large set of risk factors including partner variables.

Examining quality time as a mediator of dyadic change in a randomized controlled trial of relationship education for low-income couples

Research identifying specific mechanisms of positive change for couples participating in relationship education is scant. Recent studies have identified the potential of communication skills as a likely mechanism, yet more information is needed about the contribution of process factors. Thus, we examined the influence that quality time spent together had on positive post-intervention outcomes based on couples' reports of dyadic coping and dyadic adjustment for 1,367 low-income couples randomly assigned to receive relationship education. Results indicated that treatment couples reported significant gains in quality time spent together, and that those gains fully mediated positive changes in dyadic coping and adjustment. Additionally, actor and partner effects existed such that men's and women's reports of improved quality time influenced their own and their partners dyadic coping and dyadic adjustment. We discuss study implications for practice and future research.

Extending the Study of Gelotophobia, Gelotophilia, and Katagelasticism in Romantic Life Toward Romantic Attachment

Abstract. Gelotophobia (fear of being laughed at), gelotophilia (joy in being laughed at), and katagelasticism (joy in laughing at others) describe individual differences in how people deal with ridicule and being laughed at. We study their association with romantic attachment styles and romantic outcomes in adults. Study 1 ( N = 247) shows that gelotophobia goes along with higher expressions in attachment anxiety and avoidance. This study also provides support for the notion that gelotophobes demonstrate a lower likelihood of entering romantic relationships (odds ratio = 0.62/0.64 for past/current relationship status). Gelotophilia goes along with lower avoidance and katagelasticism exists independently from romantic attachment. Study 2 replicates the findings in 154 heterosexual romantic couples using Actor–Partner Interdependence Model analyses. However, katagelasticism was related to greater attachment anxiety in this sample of couples. A mini-meta analysis using data from both studies ( N = 555) clarified this association and showed that the joy in laughing at others yields a small positive association with attachment anxiety. Further, attachment styles mediate associations between the dispositions and relationship satisfaction in the couples. Overall, the dispositions are distinctively related with romantic attachment styles and our findings contribute to the understanding of the role of dealing with ridicule and laughter in romantic life.

Changes in Couple Relationship Dynamics among Low-Income Parents in a Relationship Education Program Are Associated with Decreases in Their Children's Mental Health Symptoms

Witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV) among parents negatively impacts millions of children in the United States each year. Low-income families are disproportionately affected by IPV compared to middle- and high-income individuals, and are beginning to be the focus of IPV secondary prevention interventions, including relationship education programs. Despite these developments, few studies have examined changes in psychosocial functioning among children of parents participating in relationship education programs. The current study examined the extent to which changes in specific couple dynamics among individuals from low-income backgrounds participating in a couple relationship education program, Within My Reach, were associated with changes in child mental health symptoms. A second purpose of this paper is to examine whether changes in parent–child relationship quality mediates the association between changes in couple dynamics and changes in child mental health difficulties. Participants (n = 347) were parents who participated in Within My Reach as part of programming offered at a large community agency. Decreases in negative couple conflict behaviors, including conflict engagement, withdrawal and compliance, over the course of the program were linked to decreases in child mental health difficulties. In addition, increases in parent–child relationship quality partially mediated the associations between decreases in compliance, as well as increase in overall couple relationship quality, and decreases in child symptoms. Community-based couple relationship education programs for low-income families can potentially have multiple positive impacts throughout the family system, including for children.