Program Dosage and Relationship Quality in Healthy Relationship Education: The Role of Facilitation Alliance

Abstract

Program dosage and facilitation alliance have been related to improvements, namely couple relationship quality, in Couple Relationship Education (CRE) programs. However, little has been done to investigate how these variables might jointly function. Building on theoretical and functional similarities established between alliance in the therapeutic and educational contexts, this study seeks to test facilitation alliance as a mediator between program dosage and residual change in couple relationship quality. Participants were a diverse subset of adult couples enrolled as part of a statewide randomized controlled trial evaluating two CRE programs (n = 968). Results revealed poor model fit, and therefore did not support facilitation alliance as a mediator between program dosage and residual change in couple relationship quality. Alternatives were explored, investigating sex and program group differences. Possible explanations are discussed regarding why results may have failed to support the hypothesized model, including the specific nature of CRE contexts and participants.