2005-2011
OPRE funded five research grant applications that address various aspects of healthy marriage. Each is described below.
Auburn University, AL: Jennifer Kerpelman, Joe Pittman and Francesca Adler-Baeder
A Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Relationship, Dating, and Marriage Education among Low-Income, Ethnically Diverse Youth
This impact study examined the effects of a youth relationship, dating and marriage educational course taught in ethnically diverse high schools in Alabama on such outcomes as knowledge and attitudes about relationships and marriage, healthy dating patterns and the dangers of unhealthy and abusive relationships, and levels of self-efficacy, use of active identity processing style, future orientation, levels of acceptance and prevalence of risky sexual behaviors, and rates of teen pregnancy.
Florida State University, FL: Frank Fitchman and Steven Beach (University of Georgia)
Efficacy of Program for Strong African American Marriage
This impact study examined the strength of Pro SAAM, a marriage education program designed for poor, rural African American couples on such outcomes as marital satisfaction and stability, proposing that forgiveness, commitment and intentions are mediators of program effects.
Johns Hopkins University, MD: Andrew Cherlin and Linda Burton (Pennsylvania State University)
Ethnographic and Survey Studies of the Correlates of Healthy Marriage
This project explored: 1) the relationship between abuse and marriage/cohabitation patterns, 2) the ways that multiple-partner fertility complicates couple relations, 3) fears of divorce and timing of childbirth in relation to marriage and 4) trust within low-income couple relationships.
Oklahoma State University, OK: Brant Gardner and Kelly Roberts Researching Recruitment Challenges in Low-Income Marriage Education Programs
This project examined recruitment barriers of low income couples to relationship and marriage education services both from couple and education provider samples, current recruitment practices of program providers, and the communication, problem solving abilities and stress levels among low-income and middle-income couples.
Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute, NC: Tracy Masiello and Carl Dunst
Discerning Pathways to Marital Stability
This project explored the robustness of a model that examined the correlation between demographic characteristics, interpersonal factors, and social support and marriage initiation and stability using a dataset of 500 low-income, racially diverse mothers and a second sample of comparable mothers.