Couple Relationship Education Outcomes Predicted by Family Life Stage and Traditionality

Abstract

An understudied aspect of couple relationship education (CRE) effectiveness is participant factors, including their changing needs over time. This study investigated the influence of changing needs over time on CRE outcomes. Participants (n = 692) self-selected to a CRE course and completed pre- and posttests. Family life stages were utilized to reflect changing needs, and participants were also assessed whether they fit family development theory’s expected (traditional) stage progression. Using linear mixed-effects models, we estimated the impact of family life stage on the posttest scores of three outcomes: commitment, relationship knowledge, and control rejection. We further tested whether a traditional progression interacted with family life stage. Related to our first hypothesis, if CRE outcomes differed by life stage, results indicated that the CRE outcome of commitment was different for those in the establishment and transition to parenthood stages, and the CRE outcome of knowledge differed for those in the transition to parenthood and preschool stages. The second hypothesis, an interaction between life stage and traditional (versus nontraditional) form of that stage, was supported for commitment and knowledge. Those who were in non-traditional earlier life stages and scored low on the pretest did not do as well on the posttest as their traditional counterparts. It may be that what couples need varies based on life stage and traditionality, and typical CRE courses may be less effective for non-traditional participants. Curricula should be carefully considered, to ensure it applies to the targeted participants. Theoretical implications are discussed.