Local Evaluation of Real Relationships

This project evaluates Real Relationships, a program provided by the Children's Aid Society (CAS) in Clearfield County, and funded through the DHHS Healthy Marriage (and Responsible Fatherhood) program. Research questions focus on recruitment and retention of participants, and short- and long-term participant outcomes associated with different formats for offering the program.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Family Relationships; Parent-Child Relationships
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: PREP 8.0 curriculum developed by PREP; Other: Within My Reach curriculum developed by PREP; Other: Within Our Reach 8 Hours curriculum

Detailed Description

Only adult participants living in the community are included in the local evaluation. Three research questions are examined in detail by the local evaluation. First, what recruitment strategies are most effective in the rural service area of Real Relationships? The answers to this research question will increase the CAS's and the funder's understanding of recruitment in rural areas. Secondly, what are barriers to Real Relationships class/workshop attendance for adults who enrolled but did not participate in any workshops? Again, answers to this research question will increase CAS's and the funder's understanding of barriers to retention (from the point of entry into the program to when participation begins), particularly in rural areas. A better understanding of barriers at this point of the enrollment process can be used to develop programming that helps to avoid these barriers, and the development of programming aimed at reaching populations that have been missed due to specific barriers. Third, how do short- and long-term outcomes for participants who complete their Real Relationships class/workshop differ by the format of the class/workshop format (i.e., weekend workshop, multi-week classes)? The answers to this research question will increase CAS's and the funder's understanding of programming in this field by adding to the knowledge base regarding the most effective formats for achieving the outcomes relevant to the goals of Real Relationships. Results will also speak to the importance of other activities, such as case management and parenting classes, for achieving desired outcomes.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 1119

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • Clearfield, Pennsylvania, United States, 16830
      • Children's Aid Society in Clearfield County

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adults who participate in Children's Aid Society's Real Relationships program who live in the coimmunity

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• living in the community

Exclusion Criteria:

• living in an institution

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

4

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Marriage & Relationship Ed Skills-Couples; This group will receive the PREP 8.0 curriculum developed by PREP. In Years 2-5, 4 7-week class series will be held each year in Clearfield and Centre Counties (PA); 32 adults will be served each year. In Year 1, 8 adults will be served. Couples will receive 11 hours of curriculum instruction. This group will also receive two 30-minute presentations on available financial management, and job and career advancement services through two partnering organizations (CareerLink and Central PA Community Action, Inc.). Participants will also have access to optional parenting skills training provided by CAS (i.e., Triple P - Positive parenting Program). Referrals to community agencies based on individual/family needs will be provided by participant's case managers, as needed.	Other: PREP 8.0 curriculum developed by PREP; healthy marriage and relationship education
Marriage & Relationship Ed Skills-Individuals; This group will receive the Within My Reach curriculum developed by PREP. In Years 2-5, 4 9-week class series will be held each year in Clearfield and Centre Counties (PA); 32 adults will be served each year. In Year 1, 8 adults will be served. Participants will receive 15 hours of curriculum instruction. This group will also receive two 30-minute presentations on available financial management, and job and career advancement services through two partnering organizations (CareerLink and Central PA Community Action, Inc.). Participants will also have access to optional parenting skills training provided by CAS (i.e., Triple P - Positive parenting Program). Referrals to community agencies based on individual/family needs will be provided by participant's case managers, as needed.	Other: Within My Reach curriculum developed by PREP; healthy marriage and relationship education
Pre-Marital Ed and Marriage Skills; This group will receive healthy marriage and relationship education to pre-marital couples using Within Our Reach 8 Hours curriculum developed by PREP. In Years 2-5, 9 10-hour weekend workshops will be held each year in nine central PA counties; 72 adults will be served each year. In Year 1, 24 adults will be served.	Other: Within Our Reach 8 Hours curriculum; healthy marriage and relationship education
Marriage Enhancement and Marriage Skills; This group will receive healthy marriage and relationship education to married couples using Within Our Reach 8 Hours curriculum developed by PREP. In Years 2-5, 9 12-hour weekend workshops will be held each year in nine central PA counties; 174 adults will be served each year. In Year 1, 60 adults will be served.	Other: Within Our Reach 8 Hours curriculum; healthy marriage and relationship education

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from Baseline in Work on Serious Disagreement at Post-Survey	nFORM Question on Pre/Post Survey, & Follow-up Survey: when have serious disagreement with spouse, worked on it together to find a resolution	Pre-Survey and Post-Survey, which would range from 30 days to 10 weeks
Change from Post-Survey in Work on Serious Disagreement at Follow-up Survey	nFORM Question on Pre/Post Survey, & Follow-up Survey: when have serious disagreement with spouse, worked on it together to find a resolution	Post-Survey and Follow-up Survey, up to 4 months
Change from Baseline in Spending Time with Child at Post-Survey	nFORM Question on Pre/Post Survey, & Follow-up Survey: frequency of spending time with a child doing things that he/she likes to do	Pre-Survey and Post-Survey, which would range from 30 days to 10 weeks
Change from Post-Survey in Spending Time with Child at Follow-up	nFORM Question on Pre/Post Survey, & Follow-up Survey: frequency of spending time with a child doing things that he/she likes to do	Post-Survey and Follow-up Survey, up to 4 months
Change from Baseline in Use of Written Budget at Post-Survey	nFORM Question on Pre/Post Survey, & Follow-up Survey: use a written budget to plan spending	Pre-Survey and Post-Survey, which would range from 30 days to 10 weeks
Change from Post-Survey in Use of Written Budget at Follow-up Survey	nFORM Question on Pre/Post Survey, & Follow-up Survey: use a written budget to plan spending	Post-Survey and Follow-up Survey, up to 4 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Children's Aid Society in Clearfield County
• Collaborators: By The Numbers Data Analysis & Statistical Solutions
• Investigators: Study Director: Bonnie Floro, Children's Aid Society in Clearfield County

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): September 30, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 16, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 20, 2017
• First Posted (Estimate): January 24, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 27, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 26, 2021
• Last Verified: July 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 90FM0104-01-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO