Research on Military Relationship Enrichment Programs

By Kimberly Quinn, FD Research Assistant & Kacy Mixon, M.S., LMFT

Adult helping child with clay pot — [Flickr, Child’s Hands in Clay by Diana Robinson,CC BY-ND 2.0] Retrieved on September 17, 2015

Marriage and relationship enrichment (MRE) programs have been utilized for many years. In previous posts we’ve highlighted various MRE programs available to military couples. Research specific to military targeted programming has found that couples who participate in MRE programs are less likely to divorce [4], have higher relationship satisfaction, and improved anger management skills [5].Although research has found many positive effects of military couples engaging in these programs, the value of such programming for diverse couples remains unclear. For instance, current evidence-based healthy marriage programming reflects efficacy with White, middle-class, married couples, but may not be as effective for low income or minority couples [1]. Other emerging research targeting disadvantaged and minority populations [2] has found that couples who report more distress at pre-assessment also have higher relationship satisfaction at the completion of relationship enrichment programs [3].

What can professionals working with Military families do with this information?

Puzzle piece with words "Me" and "You" — [Flickr, Endless Love by Dennis Skley, CC BY-ND 2.0] Retrieved on September 17, 2015

Some MRE programs are not rooted in the specific needs of military relationships, and some service branches have optimized program curricula to meet the unique demands of military couples [4]. As professionals working with military couples, it can be helpful to explore what is available and relay this information when making referrals.

References:

[1] Johnson, M. D. (2012). Healthy marriage initiatives: On the need for empiricism in policy implementation. The American Psychologist, 67(4), 296-308.

[2] Hawkins, A. J., Stanley, S. M., Cowan, P.A., et al. (2013). A more optimistic perspective on government-supported marriage and relationship education programs for lower income couples. The American Psychologist, 68(2), 110-111.

[3] Halford, K. W., Sanders, M. R., & Behrens, B. C. (2001). Can skills training prevent relationship problems in at risk couples? Four-year effects of a behavioral relationship education program. Journal of Family Psychology, 15, 750–768.

[4] Stanley, S. M., Allen, E. S., Markman, H. J., Rhoades, G. K., & Prentice, D. (2010). Decreasing divorce in Army couples: Results from a randomized clinical trial using PREP for Strong Bonds. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 9, 149–160.

[5] Anderson, J., Stith, S., Johnson, M., Strachman-Miller, M., Amanor-Boadu, Y., & Linkh, D. (2013). Multi-couple group and self-directed PREP formats enhance relationship satisfaction and improve anger management skills in air force couples. American Journal of Family Therapy, 41(2), 121-133.

This post was written by Kimberly Quinn, University of Florida, M.Ed/M.S. Candidate, 1LT Florida Army National Guard and Kacy Mixon, M.S., LMFT, Social Media Specialist. She is a member of the MFLN Family Development (FD) team which aims to support the development of professionals working with military families. Find out more about the Military Families Learning Network FD concentration on our website, on Facebook, on Twitter, YouTube, and on LinkedIn.

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