TY - JOUR
T1 - Effectiveness of the Online OurRelationship program for underserved couples
AU - Georgia Salivar, Emily J.
AU - Roddy, McKenzie K.
AU - Nowlan, Kathryn M.
AU - Doss, Brian D.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health under award R01HD059802 (to Brian D. Doss) and by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under award 90PD0280 (to Emily J. Georgia Salivar). Brian D. Doss holds the intellectual property of the OurRelationship program and could gain royalties from any future commercialization of this intellectual property.
PY - 2018/9
Y1 - 2018/9
N2 - Underserved couples (e.g., racial minorities or low-income populations) are at higher risk for relationship distress and dissolution. Although there have been large-scale efforts to improve relationships for underserved couples, these programs have resulted in high attrition and minimal effectiveness. The OurRelationship program is a brief web-based program with demonstrated efficacy in attracting, retaining, and improving relationship functioning (e.g., satisfaction) and individual functioning (e.g., depression, anxiety, and perceived health; Doss et al., 2016). In a sample of 300 couples, the present study demonstrated that outcomes for traditionally underserved couples were generally equivalent to those of nonunderserved couples. Exceptions were found among Hispanic couples, who reported larger gains in perceived health (d = 0.61) and rural couples, who reported smaller improvements in relationship positives (d = -0.06). However, Hispanic and low-income couples were less likely to complete the OurRelationship program despite experiencing equivalent (or superior) improvements and equal levels of satisfaction with the program. Overall, this study shows that a web-based, relationship-focused intervention may be an important avenue for improving relationship and individual functioning domains for underserved couples, though efforts to improve retention are warranted.
AB - Underserved couples (e.g., racial minorities or low-income populations) are at higher risk for relationship distress and dissolution. Although there have been large-scale efforts to improve relationships for underserved couples, these programs have resulted in high attrition and minimal effectiveness. The OurRelationship program is a brief web-based program with demonstrated efficacy in attracting, retaining, and improving relationship functioning (e.g., satisfaction) and individual functioning (e.g., depression, anxiety, and perceived health; Doss et al., 2016). In a sample of 300 couples, the present study demonstrated that outcomes for traditionally underserved couples were generally equivalent to those of nonunderserved couples. Exceptions were found among Hispanic couples, who reported larger gains in perceived health (d = 0.61) and rural couples, who reported smaller improvements in relationship positives (d = -0.06). However, Hispanic and low-income couples were less likely to complete the OurRelationship program despite experiencing equivalent (or superior) improvements and equal levels of satisfaction with the program. Overall, this study shows that a web-based, relationship-focused intervention may be an important avenue for improving relationship and individual functioning domains for underserved couples, though efforts to improve retention are warranted.
KW - Couple
KW - Internet
KW - Minority
KW - Online
KW - Web-based intervention
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85060067379&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85060067379&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/cfp0000110
DO - 10.1037/cfp0000110
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85060067379
VL - 7
SP - 212
EP - 226
JO - Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice
JF - Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice
SN - 2160-4096
IS - 3-4
ER -