Racial and Gender Effects on Perceptions of Marriage Preparation Programs among College-Educated Young Adults

Abstract

Perceptions of marriage preparation programs were assessed among Black and White college students. Blacks reported a greater need for marriage preparation than Whites. Findings suggest that marriage preparation programs will reach more Black young adults if they demand fewer hours and weeks and are located near home. Implications are discussed in terms of how a program might be produced, priced, and promoted and where it might be held to attract a larger, more diverse audience. The need for marriage preparation has been recognized by professionals for a long time (e.g., Foster, 1935). Studies of high school (Yarber, 1981) and college students (Martin & Martin, 1984; Silliman, Schumm, & Jurich, 1992) indicate a need for and interest in marriage preparation programs. There also is evidence that marriage preparation programs are effective (Guerney & Maxson, 1990); however, such programs are notoriously underattended. Olson (1983) estimated that only 30% of couples who marry have participated in even 1-2 hours of formal marriage preparation. One reason for low participation may be that client needs are not assessed when programs are developed (Schumm & Denton, 1979). Marketing emphasizes understanding the target audience of family life educational programs through empirical research, as a prelude to or concomitant with program development, in order to tailor the programs to the needs of the audience and, thus, facilitate their acceptance (Kotler & Bloom, 1984, cited in Levant, 1987). Some studies have been conducted to assess young adult perceptions of marriage preparation programs (Koval, Emery, & Wong, 1991; Koval, Wong, Emery, & Granoff, 1992; Silliman & Schumm, 1989; Silliman et al., 1992). However, previous research has not been guided by a marketing perspective and has been conducted with predominantly White samples. In addition, the influence of gender on perceptions of programs has not been systematically assessed. Comparing perceptions between groups might reveal a need to alter program structure and marketing strategies in order to attract larger segments of the target audience for marriage preparation programs. Using the of marketing (product, price, place, and promotion; Katz, 1988) as a conceptual guide, the current study assesses the influence of race (Black and White) and gender on young adults' perceptions of marriage preparation programs. The findings give developers and providers a thorough, consumer-based look at marriage preparation that is important to consider in the development and dissemination of programs. Specifically, the findings provide clues as to how a program might be developed, priced, and promoted, as well as where it might be held in order to attract more educated Black and White males and females. A Marketing Perspective and Prevention Programs Marketing research links the 4 Ps as the framework for data collection on quently based (Katz, 1988). Marketing research quantifies and qualifies the nature of client needs and monitors the effectiveness of the process of satisfthose needs. If clients' needs are not satisfied, revisions begin with the 4 Ps (Katz, 1988). Product is the total package of professional services that is delivered to the client. The quality of these services may be an important factor in the client's decision to participate in a program. Price, the fee charged for services rendered, is determined after examining several interacting factors, such as competitor pricing, objectives of the organization (profitability vs. market penetration), and capacity to supply services. Place describes the physical location where services are offered to users. Convenience for clients may be a key issue in attendance of programs. Promotion is the method of bringing awareness of the service to the service user. Promotional activities, including advertising and word of mouth, must sustain an image of propriety and respectability in order to expand services to a larger target audience (Katz, 1988). …