Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative Evaluation Project for Couples

NCT03158714 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: 16-248 EP 1608
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,858
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 10

Brief Summary

The Alabama Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education Initiative (AHMREI), a large-scale partnership among Auburn University and 9 additional implementation partners at Family Resource Centers, implements multiple program activities that respond to family needs and integrate comprehensive services to promote healthy marriages and relationships, as authorized by the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-291). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of two selected couples education curricula- Elevate and Couples Connecting Mindfully. The programs are intended to improve the well-being of individuals, couples, and families in domains such as couple well-being, parenting skills, individual skills, and economic stability.

Conditions

Healthy Marriage; Healthy Relationship

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Couple Satisfaction Index

  Couple satisfaction was measured using an abbreviated version of the Couple Satisfaction Index utilized in previously published studies. The 3 items (rated from 1 \[Not at all\] to 6 \[Completely\]) are: "I have a warm and comfortable relationship with my partner," "How rewarding is your relationship with your partner?" and "In general, how satisfied are you with your relationship?" Mean composites were calculated, and the total scale ranges from 1 to 6. Higher scores indicate higher couple satisfaction.

  6 months

• The Couple Relationship Skills Inventory

  Couple relationship skills were measured using 32 items from the Couple Relationship Skills Inventory (CRSI). This measure was constructed to match the core relationship skills and predictors of couple quality emphasized in the HMRE programs provided. Items were taken from established and validated social science measures assessing commitment, intimate partner knowledge, friendship, caring behaviors, conflict management, and external support. Example items include, "I commit effort every day to making my relationship work," "I know my partner's current life stresses," "When things 'get heated' I suggest we take a break to calm down," and "I initiate physical affection with my partner." Items ranged from 1 (Very strongly disagree) to 7 (Very strongly agree). Composite sum scores were created at the individual level and the total scale ranges from 1-224 (i.e., 32\*7 = 224). Higher scores indicate greater couple relationship skills.

  8 weeks

• Individual Mental Health

  Individual mental health was measured using the SF-12 Mental Component Summary score assessing anxiety, depression, sense of wellbeing, and social/emotional functioning. Per the measure's design, items were asked on differing scales (e.g., 1 to 3 or 1 to 5) with different anchor responses (e.g., all of the time to none of the time, or not at all to extremely). Example items include, "During the past month how much of the time have you accomplished less than you would like" or "During the past month how often have you felt downhearted and depressed?" The SF-12 Mental Component Summary score has shown scale reliability and validity in empirical studies. Scores range from 0 to 100 with a mean of 50 and SD of 10 in the general U.S. population. Higher scores indicate better individual mental health.

  6 months

Study Arms (3)

Couples Connecting Mindfully Curriculum

EXPERIMENTAL

Receives the Couples Connecting Mindfully curriculum over a 6 week period.

Behavioral: Couples Connecting Mindfully

ELEVATE Curriculum

EXPERIMENTAL

Receives the ELEVATE curriculum over a 6 week period.

Behavioral: ELEVATE

Control

NO INTERVENTION

No programming is offered.

Interventions

Couples Connecting Mindfully BEHAVIORAL

Also known as: CCM

Couples Connecting Mindfully Curriculum

ELEVATE BEHAVIORAL

ELEVATE Curriculum

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 19 Years - 100 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• To be eligible for the AHRMEI Couples Evaluation Project, the applicant must be part of a couple (as defined by the couple) in which both couple members are applying to the program and that: both members of the couple are 19 years of age or older, both members of the couple can attend the majority of the class offerings.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Auburn University: lead
• Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.: collaborator
• Department of Health and Human Services: collaborator

Study Sites (10)

Auburn University

Auburn, Alabama, 36849, United States

Location

Hope Place Family Resource Center

Brewton, Alabama, 36426, United States

Location

Parents and Children Together

Decatur, Alabama, 35602, United States

Location

The Family Success Center of Etowah County

Gadsden, Alabama, 35903, United States

Location

Family Guidance Center

Montgomery, Alabama, 36116, United States

Location

Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement

Sylacauga, Alabama, 35150, United States

Location

Tuscaloosa's ONE Place

Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35404, United States

Location

Circle of Care Center for Families

Valley, Alabama, 36854, United States

Location

IMPACT Family Counseling

Vestavia Hills, Alabama, 35216, United States

Location

Alabama Cooperative Extension Syestem- Elmore County

Wetumpka, Alabama, 36092, United States

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Funk JL, Rogge RD. Testing the ruler with item response theory: increasing precision of measurement for relationship satisfaction with the Couples Satisfaction Index. J Fam Psychol. 2007 Dec;21(4):572-83. doi: 10.1037/0893-3200.21.4.572.

  PMID: 18179329 BACKGROUND

• Gandek B, Ware JE, Aaronson NK, Apolone G, Bjorner JB, Brazier JE, Bullinger M, Kaasa S, Leplege A, Prieto L, Sullivan M. Cross-validation of item selection and scoring for the SF-12 Health Survey in nine countries: results from the IQOLA Project. International Quality of Life Assessment. J Clin Epidemiol. 1998 Nov;51(11):1171-8. doi: 10.1016/s0895-4356(98)00109-7.

  PMID: 9817135 BACKGROUND

• Ware J Jr, Kosinski M, Keller SD. A 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey: construction of scales and preliminary tests of reliability and validity. Med Care. 1996 Mar;34(3):220-33. doi: 10.1097/00005650-199603000-00003.

  PMID: 8628042 BACKGROUND

Limitations and Caveats

Measures were limited to self-report, which represent the participant's subjective perspective of skills and individual/relationship functioning.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Francesca Adler-Baeder
• Organization: Auburn University

adlerfr@auburn.edu

334-844-4151

Study Officials

• Francesca Adler-Baeder, Ph.D.

  Auburn University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 5, 2017
• First Posted: May 18, 2017
• Study Start: August 11, 2016
• Primary Completion: September 29, 2020
• Study Completion: September 29, 2020
• Last Updated: February 19, 2025
• Results First Posted: September 14, 2021

Record last verified: 2025-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (10)