Processes of Change in Relationship Education for Lower-Income African American Couples

The current study examined 181 lower income unmarried African American couples who were expecting or had a child (3 months or younger). All couples received couple relationship education (PREP). We examined whether changes in communication quality and perceived social integration were related to changes in relationship satisfaction and dedication and whether these associations were consistent for men and women. The results demonstrated that men's and women's change in positive communication and social integration were related to higher ratings of their own dedication and relationship satisfaction. Men reported more relationship satisfaction when their partner's negative communication decreased and when their partner reported more social integration; however, there was no association between women's rating of relationship satisfaction and men's changes in negative communication or social integration.