“My Incentive is THIS Relationship!”: Incentivizing Relationship Wellness Programs to Attract Sexual and Gender Minority Couples

Abstract

Little research has been done on what motivates gender, romantic, and sexual minority (GRSM) couples to attend relationship wellness programs or what incentives they find appealing. For this study, 18 participants in dyadic partnerships responded to questions about their motivations to participate in a brief relationship wellness program as well as what financial incentives held the most appeal. All nine couples shared that they were motivated to do the wellness program to contribute to research for the GRSM community, suggesting that altruistic motivations are particularly relevant to GRSM couples. In regard to financial incentives, gifts that supported their relationship health, such as a gift card for a meal out together, held the strongest appeal. The results in this preliminary study may assist in refining incentives and other strategies to engage these often hard-to-reach couples.