Strong Couples Project: Disseminating Evidence-based Relationship Education

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The current research is designed to implement and evaluate the ePREP relationship intervention with couples via the Cooperative Extension system.

Detailed Description
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The objective of the research is to evaluate the effectiveness of an online intervention (ePREP) for help-seeking couples designed to promote individual and couple well-being. Newly developed online intervention programs for distressed couples have shown to be efficacious, but their overall reach to the general population remains limited. The current research is designed to implement and evaluate the ePREP relationship intervention with couples throughout the nation in a manner that allows for scalable, sustainable program delivery.

Official Title
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Strong Couples Project: ePREP Nationwide Dissemination

Conditions
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Relationships, Marital, Relational Problems

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: ePREP


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Resident of Illinois Married, engaged, or living with their partner for at least 6 months Both partners willing to participate in online relationship-focused programming Exclusion Criteria: One or both partners reports sever forms of intimate partner violence occurring in the relationship

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 120 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: ePREP condition<br>The ePREP program is the online version of the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program. It consists of 6 self-directed online sessions and accompanying homework and brief coach calls. | Behavioral: ePREP<br>* 6-session online psychoeducational program with supporting coach calls<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in relationship satisfaction | Couple satisfaction index | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 
| Change in relationship instability | 3 item Relationship Instability measure (from Doss et al., 2020, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 
| Change in partner support | 5 item Partner Support measure (from Doss et al., 2020, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 
| Change in communication conflict | 4 item communication conflict measure (from Doss et al., 2020, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 
| Change in relationship confidence | 4 item relationship confidence measure (from Stanley et al., 1994) | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 
| Change in intervention-targeted behavior | PREP 3 keys and Couple Communal Identity (new measures created for this study) | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in partner aggression | 7 item partner aggression (from Doss et al., 2020, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 
| Change in psychological distress | Kessler 6 item psychological distress | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 
| Change in anger | NIH PROMIS 5 item anger measure | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 
| Change in perceived stress | Cohen's 10 item perceived stress measure | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 
| Change in general health | Short Form-36 4 item general health perceptions | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 
| Change in insomnia | 7 item insomnia severity index | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 
| Change in problematic alcohol use | Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) 7 item problematic alcohol use | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline | 
| Change in exercise | 1 item exercise (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2016 adaptation) | Baseline, Within one week of program completion ( 2 months post-baseline), and 6-month follow-up from baseline |