Opportunities and Obstacles in Giving Away Research on Marital Conflict and Children

This chapter considers some of the issues and obstacles for making research on children and marital conflict available in a manner than can directly and effectively benefit the well-being of children and families. Highlighting the significance of this goal, a considerable body of research has accumulated over the past two decades to indicate that marital conflict can threaten the well-being and healthy development of children. Translational research is concerned with addressing the gaps between scholarly wisdom and evidence-based practice. Steps in the development of optimal translational research programs include translating evidence from basic research into evidence-based, consumer-friendly programs, and rigorously evaluating the efficacy of the applied intervention programs. The chapter also reviews translational prevention studies that authors have published to date on marital conflict focused psychoeducational programs, including the implications of the findings for practice and policy.