Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati.
Department of Psychology, University of Denver.
J Fam Psychol. 2017 Oct;31(7):878-888. doi: 10.1037/fam0000337.
Relationship education represents a promising, nonstigmatizing approach to promoting the health and stability of same-sex couples. A new culturally sensitive adaptation of relationship education was developed specifically for female same-sex couples (The Strengthening Same-Sex Relationships Program, Female version; SSSR-F). SSSR-F includes adaptations of evidence-based strategies to build core relationship skills (e.g., communication skills training) as well as new content to address unique challenges faced by this population (e.g., discrimination; low social support). A small randomized waitlist-control trial (N = 37 couples) was conducted to evaluate program feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy. Three proximal outcomes targeted by SSSR-F (communication, perceived stress, social support) and 3 distal outcomes (global relationship satisfaction, instability, and confidence) were assessed at pre- and posttreatment and 3-month follow-up. Results of multilevel models accounting for nonindependence in dyadic data indicated statistically significant program effects on positive and negative couple communication, relationship satisfaction, and relationship confidence and small, nonsignificant program effects on stress, social support, and relationship instability. Analyses of follow-up data suggest maintenance of effects on the proximal but not the distal outcomes. Ratings of program satisfaction were high. Overall, findings support the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of SSSR-F, highlighting the potential value of culturally sensitive relationship education for same-sex couples. Continued efforts are needed to increase sustainability of program effects on global relationship quality over time. (PsycINFO Database Record
关系教育代表了一种有前途的、非污名化的方法，可以促进同性伴侣的健康和稳定。一种新的文化敏感的关系教育适应方法是专门为女同性恋伴侣开发的（强化同性关系计划，女性版；SSSR-F）。SSSR-F 包括对基于证据的策略进行改编，以建立核心关系技能（例如，沟通技巧培训），以及针对该人群面临的独特挑战的新内容（例如，歧视；社会支持低）。进行了一项小型随机等待名单对照试验（N = 37 对夫妇），以评估该计划的可行性、可接受性和效果。SSSR-F 针对的三个近端结果（沟通、感知压力、社会支持）和三个远端结果（整体关系满意度、不稳定性和信心）在治疗前、治疗后和 3 个月随访时进行评估。考虑到对双变量数据的非独立性的多层次模型分析结果表明，该计划对积极和消极的夫妻沟通、关系满意度和关系信心有统计学上显著的影响，对压力、社会支持和关系不稳定有较小的、无统计学意义的影响。对随访数据的分析表明，该计划对近端结果的效果得以维持，但对远端结果的效果则不然。对计划满意度的评价很高。总体而言，研究结果支持 SSSR-F 的可行性、可接受性和初步效果，突出了文化敏感的关系教育对同性伴侣的潜在价值。需要继续努力，以增加该计划对全球关系质量的长期效果的可持续性。
