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An Implementation Study of Relationship Checkups as Home Visitations for Low‐Income At‐Risk Couples
Author(s) -
Coop Gordon Kristina,
Cordova James V.,
Roberson Patricia N. E.,
Miller Melanie,
Gray Tatiana,
Lenger Katherine A.,
Hawrilenko Matt,
Martin Kerri
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
family process
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.011
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1545-5300
pISSN - 0014-7370
DOI - 10.1111/famp.12396
Subject(s) - moderation , psychological intervention , intervention (counseling) , aggression , psychology , population , clinical psychology , session (web analytics) , medicine , low income , gerontology , family medicine , psychiatry , environmental health , social psychology , socioeconomics , sociology , world wide web , computer science
Couples with the greatest need for relationship health maintenance and intervention are often least able to afford and access it; therefore, accessible, affordable, effective, and brief interventions are needed to improve relationship health for those who need it most. Consequently, this paper examined whether a brief relationship intervention could be effectively implemented with a low‐income, underserved population. All enrolled participants ( N = 1,312) received the Relationship Checkup, which consists of an assessment and a feedback session delivered in their homes or at a local clinic at their request. Measures assessed relationship satisfaction, communication, psychological and physical aggression, and intimacy at baseline and 1‐month follow‐up, and program and relationship satisfaction at 6‐month follow‐up. All participants reported significant improvements on all outcomes with small effect sizes. However, moderation analyses suggested that distressed couples reported significantly larger effects across the board. Overall, participants reported that they were highly satisfied with the intervention both immediately after its delivery and 6 months later. Findings provide preliminary support for the effectiveness of this brief checkup and point to the utility of offering these kinds of low‐cost brief interventions in flexible formats for those who might have the most difficulty accessing them.