Slide 1
Childrens Development in the Context of Their Parents
RelationshipsFrancesca Adler-Baeder, Ph.D.Associate Professor,
Human Development and Family Studies, Extension Specialist, Alabama
Cooperative Extension SystemAuburn University, Alabama
Project Director and Principal InvestigatorAlabama Community
Healthy Marriage Initiative
Healthy Relationships. Happy Marriages.
1-888-4Together 1
Whats Love Got to Do With It?
2OverviewResearch Basis and RationaleProgrammatic ApproachesCore
Program ContentDoes it make a difference?
3Extension doesnt focus on adult relationships; we focus on
parenting, child well-being, positive youth development, nutrition
and health, family well-being, community development4Couple
FunctioningParenting Parent Well-beingCouple functioningFather
InvolvementChild OutcomesCo-parenting QualityParenting
Practices5Father Involvement PSA6What do kids know about
marriage?Marriage is when you go to church and a man whispers in
your ear and it makes you cry, and then he gets to kiss you for
what he said.Lynette, age 8
I dont want to get married even though Im already 9. Youre never
alone and your wife follows you around all the time!Craig, age 97To
get married you have to have a big wedding where all the people
dress up in pink and black and they throw wild rice..then you have
a big cake afterward that the bride is supposed to pop out of!-
Trudi, age 7
Youve got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like if you
like sports she should like it that you like sports and she should
keep the chips and dip coming!Allan, age 10
8Why Target Youth Relationships?Developmentally relevant a
teachable moment in the life course
Relationship models acquired
Emotional health affected
Physical health affected
9Couple FunctioningParenting Parent Well-beingCouple
functioningFather InvolvementAdolescent OutcomesCo-parenting
QualityParenting PracticesDating Relationships10Sticks in a bundle
are unbreakable. ~Kenyan Proverb11Clip of Mack describing
programMack explaining the program12The Healthy Couples, Healthy
Children: Targeting Youth Project 2005-2010Department of Human
Development and Family StudiesAuburn UniversityAlabama Cooperative
Extension System
Jennifer Kerpelman, Ph.D., Francesca Adler-Baeder, Ph.D., &
Joe Pittman, Ph.D.
13Alabama Community Healthy Marriage InitativeDHHS/OFA
2006-2011
Healthy Relationships. Happy Marriages.
1-888-4Together 14Teen Advisory Board info Video15
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20Research-Practice Partnerships: The Alabama ApproachFrancesca
Adler-Baeder, Ph.D. Human Development and Family StudiesAuburn
University
Healthy Relationships. Happy Marriages.
1-888-4Together 21Establishment and enhancement of on-line
Resource Centers: www.alabamamarriage.orgwww.stepfamilies.info
www.nermen.org
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http://www.alabamamarriage.org231930s Penn State Study on
Marital Quality# 1 predictor of husbands marital
satisfaction:Quality of Wifes Cooking24
25www.nermen.org
26Core Concepts Associated with Stable and Healthy Couple and
Marital Relationships
CARE FOR SELF
SHARE
MANAGE
CONNECT
CARE
KNOW
CHOOSE
Stable and HealthyCouple and Marital Relationships27Video -
20/20 Special20/2028CHOOSENothing happens by itselfit all will come
your way once you understand that you make it come your way by your
own exertions.- Ben SteinThe central importance of
intentionality29KNOWStrategies and skills for the development of
interest and involvement in each others worldsSpeak each others
language30CAREAlways try to be a little kinder than is necessary.-
James Barrie
It is not true that nice guys finish last nice guys are winners
before the game ever starts.- Anonymous31SHARESkills and strategies
for developing and maintaining friendship, positive interactions,
and meaningful time together
Share: Opposites might attract; but they dont stay together
32CONNECTStrategies and skills for engaging social support,
community ties, and sources of meaning33MANAGEStrategies and skills
for engagement and interaction around differences, stresses, and
issues of safety34CARE FOR SELFMaintaining physical, psychological,
and sexual health and wellness as an individual
Key info for work with low-resource population Early environment
key for development of emotion regulation skillsLow SES experience
greater levels of stress from more sourcesLess use of cognitive
reappraisal strategies35
MRE Plus for Blended familiesAdditional skill-building for
complex families
Couple QualityRealistic expectations for stepfamily development
and processesHealthy stepparent-stepchild relationshipsAppropriate
and supportive co-parenting RelationshipsMeeting the Needs of
Low-Income Stepfamily Couples in Marriage Education Services
Published by the US DHHS articulates in detail a model for
practitioners and educators38Lesson 1: Who am I and Where am I
Going? Lesson 2: What I Value Lesson 3: Maturity Issues and
Pressure SituationsLesson 4: Infatuation and Love Lesson 5:
Principles Of Smart RelationshipsLesson 6: The Low-risk Approach to
RelationshipsLesson 7: Is it a Healthy Relationship?Lesson 8:
Dating AbuseLesson 9: A Foundation for Good CommunicationLesson 10:
Parents Relationships Matter Lesson 11: Having a Healthy
Relationship/Marriage Someday Lesson 12: Follow Your North Star
Relationship Smarts +
Relationship Skills are emphasized along with the value of
Relationship Development All the core are
covered:CARESHAREMANAGECARE for SELFCONNECTCHOOSEKNOWSLIDE-DECIDE
VIDEO39Can you really teach relationship skills? Youre either good
at it or youre not.
Is there evidence of positive impact?
40Youth Results INCREASESDECREASESSelf-EsteemMarital Role
Salience Conflict Management Skills Interpersonal
CompetenceWillingness to use marriage education Positive attitude
about marriage Ability to resist pressure to have sex Individual
Empowerment
Endorsement of partner violence Personal Distress Use of
Negative Behaviors Faulty beliefs about relationshipsReactive
Coping
41"I liked that you learn to find positive strengths about
yourself. You become more aware of who you are and what you want to
do later in your life.""I liked talking about breaking up and
dating abuse, because I thought dating abuse was only physical" I
really liked that the lessons gave you reasons why you should wait
for sex rather than just telling you that you shouldn't do it."
In their own words (youth).
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"The dating abuse lesson was very important to me, because it
helped me to recognize that I was in an abusive relationship. Now I
know what to look for."I thought I knew everything, but as it turns
out, I've learned a lot about relationships and love.I used some of
the communication skills we learnedbeing aware of voice tone,
prevented argumentsI stopped changing for others
43Statistically significant changes were found in:Relational
SkillsNegative Interactions**Positive Interactions***Conflict
Management***Assertiveness*Couple/Marital QualityRelationship
Quality***Relationship Adjustment***Trust***Perception of
stability***Evaluation Results44Positive feelings about
partner*Relationship Satisfaction***Happiness in
Relationship***Individual StrengthsIndividual
Empowerment**Individual Distress***ParentingCo-Parenting
Quality***Positive Parenting Behaviors**Punitive
Parenting**Parenting Efficacy**
Evaluation Results45
More changesEarly indication of enhanced prosocial behaviors
among pre-school childrenComparison subjects did not demonstrate a
similar pattern of change across timeEffect sizes ranged from .26
to .77Impact did not differ by attendance status (i.e., came
together/came singly) or marital statusBenefits not based on gender
or ethnicity
46SummaryCouple/Dating Relationship knowledge, skills, and
quality are key areas of individual and family functioning an
important ingredient in family and youth programs; critical element
for families under stress.Goals/objectives focus on the process and
not on prescribing decisions.Programs serve the broad spectrum of
the population youth, singles, nonmarried, married.There is an
empirical base from which to teach. Evidence of positive program
impact.Relationship/marriage ed gives added value to other family
and youth programs and services.
47The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its
heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest
worker.- Helen Keller
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