Communication behaviors and marital functioning among Iranian newlyweds: the effects of the prevention and relationship education program

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether relationship education and changes in communication behaviors predicted marital functioning of newlyweds. One hundred and thirty-five couples (N = 270 participants) were randomly assigned to the intervention or the control group. Sixty-six couples participated in the PREP workshop. Couples in the intervention group reported higher marital functioning, more positive and fewer negative communication behaviors at the posttest, 3-month and 6-month follow-ups compared with the couples in the control group. Moreover, one’s own and partner’s positive and negative communication predicated the marital functioning of the couples in the intervention group. An increase in negative communication of a husband/ a wife on a particular time point was significantly associated with lower marital functioning of his wife/ her husband at the next time points. The findings shed light on the possible beneficial effects of communication behaviors on the newlyweds’ marital functioning in Iran.