facilitator alliance – The Relationship Educator

Factors Impacting Program Retention

By Sarah Hokanson

Bottom-Line First: A recent study of a home-based couple relationship education program for lower income couples looked at factors that predicted early drop-out and session attendance. About a quarter of couples dropped out after the first session. This drop-out rate is not much different from what has been found in other studies, despite the more flexible delivery system. Younger couples and cohabiting couples were more likely to drop out. And interestingly, more committed couples were more likely to drop out early. Continue reading “Factors Impacting Program Retention”

How or Why Does Relationship Education Work?

A Summary of 6 Years of RE Research

by Hailey Palmer and Alan J. Hawkins

Bottom-Line First: Several factors have been identified by researchers as possible mechanisms for how or why relationship education (RE) works for program participants. However, because none of these factors has been consistently studied, we can’t yet make strong conclusions. Rather, we offer direction for future areas of research. This blog may be of special interest to RE researchers. Continue reading “How or Why Does Relationship Education Work?”

The Facilitator Alliance in RE: “Who” Matters, Not Just “What”

By McKell Jorgensen and Alan J. Hawkins

The Bottom Line First: Couple relationship education often aims to increase relationship quality, individuals’ confidence in fostering a healthy relationship, and positive interactions between romantic partners. A new study looked at how the “facilitator alliance” – the positive connection between a program participant and the facilitator or instructor – affects program outcomes. They found that participants who reported a stronger facilitator alliance had stronger program outcomes. A gender match was the most important demographic characteristic for the facilitator alliance. Continue reading “The Facilitator Alliance in RE: “Who” Matters, Not Just “What””