Evaluating the Effectiveness of Premarital Prevention Programs: A Meta‐Analytic Review of Outcome Research

Abstract

We present a comprehensive, meta-analytic review and critical evaluation of outcome research pertaining to the effectiveness of premarital prevention programs. Results revealed that the mean effect size for premarital programs was .80, which means that the average person who participated in a premarital prevention program was significantly better off afterwards than 79% of people who did not participate. Stated differently, the average participant in a premarital program tends to experience about a 30% increase in measures of outcome success. Our findings suggest that premarital prevention programs are generally effective in producing immediate and short-term gains in interpersonal skills and overall relationship quality and that these improvements are significantly better than nonintervention couples in these areas. However, because of a lack of extended follow-up research, conclusions about long-term effectiveness remain elusive. We propose implications for future research, education, and policy.

The effects of premarital relationship enrichment programs on marriage strength: A narrative review article

“…The first premarital consultation was done in 1924 by Ernest Groves for the families living in Boston University (8). In Iran, the premarital training plan was ratified in 1991.…”

“…Premarital consultation is an interventional procedure for the couples on the verge of marriage with the goal to train the necessary skills and in order to improve their relationship (7). This program contains preventive aspect and its goal is a successful marriage and also boosting the couples to maintain and keep their function in the maximum level (8,9). Benefitting from premarital consultation services makes the man and woman start their shared life with more awareness and equipped with enough knowledge in their relationship and their would-be spouse and also the significance and goals of marriage (7).…”

Participant characteristics and outcomes of relationship education in the transition to parenthood

“…As in PREP, Good Couple Relationship gives attention to the role of communication, especially when dealing with conflict. Across a range of studies, conflict has proven a reliable predictor of relationship satisfaction and stability (Fincham & Beach, 1999;Gottman, 1994;Kluwer & Johnson, 2007), and RE that addresses conflict has been found more effective than RE not incorporating conflict resolution (Carroll & Doherty, 2003). Also the strengthening of commitment to the relationship is targeted in Good Couple Relationship.…”

“…The goals are to teach couples skills that are believed to be relevant for maintaining a good relationship and to prepare couples for probable future problems and challenges in their relationship. Reviews of RE studies that have been published in the last two decades indicate that under certain conditions RE can change couples' interaction patterns and produce moderate improvements in the adaptation and stability of relationships (Carroll & Doherty, 2003;Christensen & Heavey, 1999;Guerney & Maxson, 1990;Hahlweg & Markman, 1988;Halford, Petch, & Creedy, 2010;Hawkins, Blanchard, Baldwin, & Fawcett, 2008;Markman & Hahlweg, 1993;Pinquart & Teubert, 2010;Schulz, Cowan, & Cowan, 2006;Stanley, Amato, Johnson, & Markman, 2006), but there has been some controversy as to the strength and duration of these effects.…”

Promoting the forgiveness in fremarital counseling as a cay to get a successful marriage

“…The focus of premarital counseling (PMC) is to prepare a couple for a lifelong relationship. In general, PMC programs are based on two principles: preventing future problems for couples and providing couples with skills-based training (Carroll, 2003). In Indonesia, premarital counseling is not a common type of counseling service yet, premarital counseling is still counted as individual counseling as the marital problems talked in the individual counseling session, this specific type of counseling is a new profession that would develop in Indonesia (Frischa Meivilona Yendi, 2013), it is likely not congruent with the need of marriage counseling or premarital counseling as the rate of divorces in very high.…”