Examining the Early Evidence for Self‐directed Marriage and Relationship Education: A Meta‐analytic Study

This meta-analysis examines the efficacy of self-directed marriage and relationship education (MRE) programs on relationship quality and communication skills. Programs combining traditional face-to-face learning with self-directed elements are also examined, and traditional programs' effectiveness is included as a comparison point. Sixteen studies focused on self-directed interventions; 13 studies focused on programs combining self-directed and traditional components. For self-directed programs, the effect size for relationship quality was small and not significant (d = .032, ns); a small, significant effect size was found for communication skills (d = .160, p Key Words: marriage and relationship education, metaanalysis program evaluation, self-directed.Recent meta-analyses examining marriage and relationship education (MRE) have generally demonstrated that such programs are effective in improving couples' communication skills and relationship satisfaction (Blanchard, Hawkins, Baldwin, & Fawcett, 2009; Fawcett, Hawkins, Blanchard, & Carroll, 2010; Hawkins, Blanchard, Baldwin, & Fawcett, 2008; Hawkins & Fackrell, 2010). Participation in these programs appears to have increased over time. Stanley, Amato, Johnson, and Markman (2006) found that although only 7% of those married during the 1930s and 1940s had participated in premarital education, 44% of couples married since 1990 had participated. More distressed couples and couples at higher risk of divorce are underrepresented in MRE attendance (Doss, Rhoades, Stanley, Markman, & Johnson, 2009; Halford, O'Donnell, Lizzio, & Wilson, 2006), which is unfortunate, as these are perhaps the couples who could benefit the most from participation. And participation in premarital education is likely higher than in marital enrichment programs.Perhaps some of this lack of participation is due to an overemphasis on the traditional classroom format for MRE. Although this is an important format that appears to be effective, it might not be practical for everyone in today's busy, fast-paced, online world. Research by Blair and Cordova (2009) found that women are less likely to participate in MRE if they perceive barriers to attendance, such as a high monetary cost or time commitment. In an earlier study, Roberts and Morris (1998) found both men and women nonparticipants more likely than participants to agree that a lack of time and interest interfered with their involvement. Other more recent research has examined numerous factors predicting involvement in MRE (Duncan, Holman, & Yang, 2007; Morris, McMillan, Duncan, & Larson, 201 1), but these factors did not include format as an attracter or an inhibitor to involvement. It may be that alternative MRE programs that branch out from traditional classroom learning can mitigate inhibitions to involvement resulting from perceived costs to involvement, providing increased MRE options and opportunities to reach a different audience than traditional MRE efforts.The advent of the Internet has caused a revolution in the way information is shared. Increasingly, there is an expectation that information must be available immediately and at any time. Self-directed forms of MRE programs (such as self-help books and DVDs) have existed for some time, but in response to this educational shift, we are seeing an increase in the number of self-directed MRE programs available on the Internet. This article seeks to synthesize the literature on self-directed MRE using meta-analysis to determine the overall effectiveness of these programs. Understanding the effectiveness of these interventions can guide educators in their efforts to create and refine self-directed MRE.Self-directed MRESelf-directed MRE programs are an alternative to classroom learning. …