Relationship Educator Experiences of Couple Improvement and Group Dynamics in Relationship Education With Low-Income Couples. (April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wheeler, Naomi J.; Harris, Shaywanna; Young, Mark E.
• Is Part Of: Family journal. Volume 26:Number 2(2018:Apr.)
• Page Start: 174
• Page End: 184
• Publication Date: 2018-04
• Subjects: relationship education -- group dynamics -- low-income couples; Family psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Marital psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Family counseling -- Periodicals; Marriage counseling -- Periodicals; 616.8915605
• DOI: 10.1177/1066480718785913
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1066-4807

Abstract

Relationship education (RE) interventions improve relationship quality and distress; yet, little is known about the origins of positive gains derived from RE. Couples identified benefits from the group format of RE; however, the perspective of facilitators is neglected. Therefore, the current investigation included two focus groups ( N = 9) with RE facilitators from one federal RE program for low-income couples. Five themes emerged from the phenomenological analysis including (a) therapeutic factors of groups, (b) participant attributes, (c) stress, (d) insight/awareness, and (e) program attributes . Applications of RE facilitator experiences, specifically group factors observed, may inform RE facilitator training, intervention, and implementation.