Department of Psychology, University of Miami.
J Consult Clin Psychol. 2020 Dec;88(12):1091-1104. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000616.
Web-based relationship interventions have been shown to improve relationship functioning for low-income couples, with gains maintained up through 12 months (Doss et al., 2020; Roddy et al., 2020). However, little is known about mechanisms of improvements and maintenance for these programs.
A sample of 742 low-income couples (Mage = 33; 55% non-Hispanic White; 52% married; Mdn annual household income = $27,000) were randomly assigned to the OurRelationship (OR) program, the ePREP program, or a waitlist control group. Couples were repeatedly assessed over 6 months on two relationship outcomes (satisfaction and breakup potential) and five relationship mechanisms (positive and negative communication, relationship problem intensity and confidence, and emotional support) with self-report measures.
Intervention couples, compared with the control couples, experienced significantly greater improvements in all mechanisms by the end of the program (Mean |d| = 0.58). Those with greater improvements in mechanisms also reported greater improvements in both relationship outcomes. From post- to 4-months follow-up, only prepost improvements in negative communication significantly predicted maintenance of gains in satisfaction. In contrast, prepost improvements in all mechanisms significantly predicted maintenance of reductions in breakup potential, with the largest effect via improvements in emotional support.
These results indicate that both programs improve targeted mechanisms during the intervention period and support the role of these constructs as mechanisms of improvements in broader relationship functioning. Moreover, findings on mechanisms of maintenance highlighted the importance of including an emphasis on communication and emotional support to better maintain program gains. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
基于网络的关系干预已被证明可以改善低收入夫妇的关系功能，并且在 12 个月内保持收益（Doss 等人，2020 年；Roddy 等人，2020 年）。然而，对于这些计划的改进和维持机制知之甚少。
一项由 742 对低收入夫妇（Mage=33；55%非西班牙裔白人；52%已婚；家庭年收入中位数=$27,000）组成的样本被随机分配到 OurRelationship（OR）计划、ePREP 计划或候补对照组。在 6 个月的时间里，夫妇使用自我报告的措施对两个关系结果（满意度和分手的可能性）和五个关系机制（积极和消极的沟通、关系问题的强度和信心以及情感支持）进行了重复评估。
与对照组相比，干预组在计划结束时所有机制的改善程度都显著更大（Mean |d|=0.58）。那些在机制上有更大改善的人也报告了在两个关系结果上的更大改善。从 post-到 4 个月的随访，只有在沟通方面的消极性在干预后到随访的改善与满意度的收益维持显著相关。相比之下，所有机制在干预后的改善都显著预测了分手可能性的降低，而通过情感支持的改善作用最大。
这些结果表明，两个计划在干预期间都改善了目标机制，并支持这些结构作为更广泛关系功能改善的机制。此外，维持机制的研究结果强调了包括对沟通和情感支持的重视以更好地维持计划收益的重要性。（PsycInfo 数据库记录（c）2020 APA，保留所有权利）。
