Couples Relationship Education 

We study the impact of couples relationship education (CRE) on individual, couple, and family well-being outcomes. 

We conduct research that evaluates the processes and impacts of CRE programs, like ELEVATE, to better understand how to improve individual, couple and family well-being in order to advance best-practices for implementing these programs in community and online settings. For example, we examine:

  • improvements in couple relationship skills, quality, and satisfaction following participation in CRE programs;

  • how improvements in relationship skills may be associated with improvements in other outcomes such as individual well-being (e.g., mental health, loneliness), co-parenting quality, and financial stability; and

  • how participants’ program perceptions and experiences as well as other process data (e.g., intake procedures, fidelity, participant characteristics) are associated with program outcomes.

Funding Sources

  • U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (2015-2020, 2020-2025, 2025-2030)

Select Publications

  • Hargrove, C. M., Futris, T. G., Richardson, E. W., & Oshri, A. (2026). Trajectories of change following relationship education for couples raising children with disabilities. Child & Family Social Work. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.70150.

  • Richardson, E. W., DeMeester, K., Futris, T. G., Gregson, K., & Cooper, E. (2025). Impact evaluation of the Elevate program delivered virtually versus in-person in Georgia. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance. Click here for full report.

  • Adler-Baeder, F., Futris, T. G., McGill, J., Richardson, E. W., Yildirim, E. D. (2022). Validating the couple relationship skills inventory. Family Relations, 71(1), 279-306. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12590

  • Campbell, A., Futris, T. G., Richardson, E.W., & Gilbert, A. (2025). Changes in relationship skills and parenting stress among vulnerable couples participating in couple relationship education before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Family Process, 64: e13099. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.13099

  • DeMeester, K., Futris, T.G., Richardson, E. W., Simmons, B., & Thompson, J. (2021). Descriptive Evaluation of Elevate and Together We Can in Georgia. Submitted to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance. Washington, DC. Available at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/healthy-marriage-responsible-fatherhood/data-reports

Return to Research Areas