Empowering Families Project

Not Applicable

Active, not recruiting

• Conditions: Relationship, Marital; Couples; Relational Problems
• Interventions: Behavioral: Family Wellness; Behavioral: Career Coaching; Behavioral: Financial Planning

• Registration Number: NCT05359185
• Lead Sponsor: University of Texas at Austin

Brief Summary

This RCT will test the marginal benefit of adding economic-focused services to traditional relationship education (RE) interventions. 344 couples will be randomly assigned to the RE only or RE plus economic-services condition. All couples will be assessed at baseline, 6-weeks, 6-months, and 12-months. This project will examine whether couples in the RE plus condition have better relationship and economic outcomes than couples in the RE only condition.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2022-04-27
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-04-27
• Study Start: 2022-05-01
• Study First Posted: 2022-05-03
• Status Verified: 2025-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-24
• Last Update Posted: 2025-03-25
• Primary Completion: 2025-04
• Study Completion: 2025-04

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 666

Inclusion Criteria

• couples involved in a romantic relationship

Exclusion Criteria

• current domestic violence or child maltreatment

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Treatment-Plus	Financial Planning	Participants in this group will receive an enhanced model that includes the core RE programming, and adds economic-focused services which include two 2.5-hour workshops (one on financial planning and one on career coaching), as well as individual financial planning and career coaching services ongoing for up to one year.
Treatment-only	Family Wellness	Participants in the this group will receive core Relationship Education programming, which consists of six weekly 2.5-hour Family Wellness Workshops.
Treatment-Plus	Family Wellness	Participants in this group will receive an enhanced model that includes the core RE programming, and adds economic-focused services which include two 2.5-hour workshops (one on financial planning and one on career coaching), as well as individual financial planning and career coaching services ongoing for up to one year.
Treatment-Plus	Career Coaching	Participants in this group will receive an enhanced model that includes the core RE programming, and adds economic-focused services which include two 2.5-hour workshops (one on financial planning and one on career coaching), as well as individual financial planning and career coaching services ongoing for up to one year.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in Positive Communication	From baseline to 6-weeks, 6-months, 12-months	Seven items, scored on four-point scale and averaged. Sample item: "My partner and I were good at working out our differences."
Change in Relationship satisfaction	From baseline to 6-weeks, 6-months, 12-months	Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI-4).
Changes in Negative Communication	From baseline to 6-weeks, 6-months, 12-months	Nine items, scored on four-point scale and averaged. Sample item: "My partner was rude or mean to me when we disagree."
Changes in Financial Capability	From baseline to 6-months, 12-months	Six items assess capability to manage household finances, (e.g., "In the last 2 months, have you been charged a late fee on a loan or bill?"). Items summed to form an index with range of 0-8 (two 3-point items, four 2-point items.
Changes in Income	From baseline to 6-months, 12-months	Single item: "How much would you say you personally as an individual earned in total from all work in the last month, before taxes and deductions?" Open numeric response
Changes in Financial Strain	From baseline to 6-months, 12-months	Five items assess the degree of difficulty the household has had fulfilling financial obligations and purchasing necessary items. Items scored on a 4-point scale and averaged.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in Support and Affection	From baseline to 6-weeks, 6-months, 12-months	Five items, scored on four-point scale and averaged. Sample item: "My partner knows and understands me."
Changes in Wealth	From baseline to 6-months, 12-months	Single item: "About how much money does your household have saved somewhere (in a savings account, 401k, hidden cash envelope, etc.)?" Open numeric response

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The Parenting Center; 🇺🇸 Fort Worth, Texas, United States