A META-ANALYSIS OF PREMARITAL, MARITAL AND FAMILY ENRICHMENT RESEARCH

PAUL ROBERT GIBLIN, Purdue University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to synthesize, integrate and evaluate existing enrichment research literature, most of which has never been published. Meta-analysis, the technique used in the study, is a new method for statistically aggregating and evaluating empirical findings; Effect size is the measure of treatment effectiveness and can be examined across a wide variety of descriptive measures. Eighty five studies of premarital, marital, and family enrichment, representing 3886 couples or families were gathered and their results statistically aggregated. Across all types of outcome measures, research design and program type, the effect size average for these data was .44 standard deviation units. If this figure is referenced to a z-table, the effect size average for the data indicates that the average enrichment participant is better off than 67% of those who do not participate. Meta-analysis, as essentially a post hoc procedure, leaves the researcher entirely dependent upon the existence of adequate numbers and ranges of studies and outcome measures. A series of hypotheses were tested in the study. A frequent finding in the study was that the data did not allow for testing of interaction effects. The results are therefore reported as main effects and need be interpreted cautiously. Significantly larger effect sizes were associated with younger and less educated subjects, with longer and more structured programs, with behavioral measures and relationship skill outcome areas, with better designed studies and studies that used simpler forms of statistics. An additional finding that challenges the basic definition of enrichment was that higher outcome was associated with studies having higher proportions of distressed couples and families. Again, these findings refer to primarily main effects and need to be interpreted cautiously.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Mental health

COinS