The impact of a marriage enrichment program on relationship factors

This study represented a continuing effort to assess the effects of a marriage enrichment program previously used by Kilmann, Moreault, and Robinson. Eleven couples who responded to newspaper and radio announcements received fair-fight training followed by sexual enhancement. Six couples recruited in the same manner received no treatment but responded to the measures at the same time intervals as the experimental couples. In comparison with the control couples the experimental couples reported a significant increase in marital adjustment and significantly greater actualized relationship. From a videotaped problem-solving task the experimental couples were rated as exhibiting significantly more positive communication patterns than the control couples. The findings offer support for the marriage enrichment program, although larger samples are needed to determine which treatment components are most beneficial for defined couples.