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Online relationship education programs improve individual and relationship functioning: A meta‐analytic review
Author(s) -
Spencer Chelsea M.,
Anderson Jared R.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of marital and family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.868
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1752-0606
pISSN - 0194-472X
DOI - 10.1111/jmft.12491
Subject(s) - relationship education , psychology , meta analysis , positive relationship , depressive symptoms , anxiety , interpersonal relationship , clinical psychology , social relationship , social psychology , medicine , psychiatry
Online access to relationship enhancing educational resources are needed now more than ever, and there is a growing number of available programs for couples to choose. But, what is the evidence that these programs improve individual and relationship well‐being? We conducted a meta‐analysis, using random‐effects, examining individual and relationship outcomes of online relationship education programs. We identified 12 publications included in the analysis, and found that online relationship education programs produced significant effects in increasing relationship satisfaction, communication skills, relationship confidence, positive relationship qualities, and decreasing negative relationship qualities. At the individual‐level, we found that online relationship programs reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms, increased health satisfaction, and overall quality of life. Additionally, we found no differences related to gender, whether or not couples were identified as “distressed,” whether or not the programs were “enhanced,” or length of the program.