Short- and long-term effects of a marital enrichment program upon couple functioning

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Family Studies
• Interpersonal Relationships

Background:

• Modern couple living faces unique challenges.
• Existing interventions may not fully address long-term relationship health.
• Sager's contractual model provides a framework for understanding couple functioning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the short- and long-term effectiveness of a new Marital Enrichment Program (MEP).
• To assess the program's impact on marital adjustment, communication, and problem-solving.
• To determine if improvements are maintained post-intervention.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial comparing MEP participants to a no-treatment control group.
• Utilized self-inventories (Dyadic Adjustment Scale [DAS], Marital Communication Inventory [MCI]) and behavioral scales (Marital Interaction Coding System [MICS]).
• Repeated assessments at pretest, midtest, posttest, and follow-ups at two months and one year.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in five of seven criterion variables for the MEP group.
• Positive changes in marital adjustment and communication were maintained at the one-year follow-up.
• The MEP demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing subjective measures of marital functioning.

Conclusions:

• The Marital Enrichment Program (MEP) successfully met its short- and long-term objectives.
• The program represents a promising preventative strategy for improving couple relationships.
• Sustained positive outcomes suggest the program's lasting impact on marital well-being.