ارزیابی یک برنامه آموزش والدین برای جلوگیری از اثرات منفی تعارضات زناشویی

The effects of marital conflict on children are well documented. This study evaluated a prevention program for changing marital conflict for children's sake. Fifty-five couples were randomly assigned to either an immediate treatment (n = 41) or a six-month waitlisted control (n = 14) group, with assessments at pretest, posttest, and 6-month and 1-year follow-ups. Results indicate effectiveness in improving parents' knowledge regarding marital conflict across all assessment periods. Couples reported displaying less hostility in front of their children at 6-months, and showed improvement in conflict tactics and parenting practices at the 6 month and one-year follow-up assessments. Findings of this study provide promise for further development of marital conflict focused parent education.

Increasing attention at the federal, state, local, and academic levels is being paid to strengthening marriages (Brotherson and Duncan, 2004, Doherty and Anderson, 2004 and Goddard and Olsen, 2004). Recent issues of Family Relations (October, 2004), Family Psychology (March, 2005), and American Psychologist (June, 2003) underscore interest in providing theoretically-based and empirically-evaluated programs to engaged, marrying, and established couples, towards the goal of educating couples about optimal ways to address everyday challenges. Extending beyond concern only with the marital relationship, the present program also addresses concerns about, and implications for, broader family functioning, especially the children in the family.