Relationship Education:Project Harmony

A Randomized Control Trial of Relationship Education: Project Harmony

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of relationship education (RE) for individuals and couples participating in Project Harmony.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy Marriage
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Healthy Marriage Program

Detailed Description

Although considerable research supports the positive effects of relationship education (RE) on relationship satisfaction and communication skills, the majority of existing research designs have favored pre/post or quasi-experimental designs. Furthermore, gaps in the empirical bases for RE remain regarding programmatic moderators that influence change. Consequently, there has been less emphasis on understanding which program elements contribute to positive change within couple relationships. To this end, Project Harmony seeks to conduct an impact local evaluation design utilizing a randomized control trial (RCT) to assess the effectiveness of relationship education between low income, ethnically diverse individuals and couples in the treatment group compared to the wait-list control group. Secondary research questions are focused on investigating mechanisms and moderators of change for the target population. Participants (individuals and couples) in Project Harmony will be randomly assigned to either the treatment or wait-list control group.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 1200
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Florida
    • Orlando, Florida, United States, 32816
      • University of Central Florida

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Individuals and couples who are at least 18 years of age.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Does not meet the inclusion criteria

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Healthy Marriage: Treatment; Intervention: Behavioral: Healthy Marriage Program	Behavioral: Healthy Marriage Program; Provide the following allowable activities 1) marriage and relationship education/skills, 2) relationship enhancement, 3) premarital education, and 4) divorce reduction.
Experimental: Healthy Marriage: Wait-list Control; Intervention: Behavioral: Healthy Marriage Program	Behavioral: Healthy Marriage Program; Provide the following allowable activities 1) marriage and relationship education/skills, 2) relationship enhancement, 3) premarital education, and 4) divorce reduction.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
1200 participants with relational and interpersonal stressors	The primary research question for the proposed investigation is: What are the effects of relationship education on relationship satisfaction (as measured by the Dyadic Adjustment Scale); between participants who received the intervention (treatment group) as compared with participants who did not immediately receive the intervention (wait-list control group)?	6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
1200 participants with relational and interpersonal stressors	What are the effects of relationship education on dyadic coping (as measured by the Dyadic Coping Inventory); between participants who received the intervention (treatment group) as compared with participants who did not immediately receive the intervention (wait-list control group)?	6 months

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
1200 participants with relational and interpersonal stressors	What are the effects of relationship education on communication (as measured by Communication Patterns Questionnaire-Short Form); between participants who received the intervention (treatment group) as compared with participants who did not immediately receive the intervention (wait-list control group)?	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Central Florida
• Collaborators: Department of Health and Human Services
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Sejal M Barden, PhD, University of Central Florida; Study Director: Bridgette Toussaint, MS, University of Central Florida

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 29, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): September 29, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 6, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): March 10, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 30, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 29, 2021
• Last Verified: June 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: UCF MFRI

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

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

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No