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Effects of OurRelationship and ePREP on individual mental and physical health
Investigator (PI): Doss, Brian
Performing Organization (PO): (Current): University of Miami, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology / (305) 284-2814
Supporting Agency (SA): United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Initial Year: 2017
Final Year: 2019
Record Source/Award ID: RePorter/0PR0008
Funding: 2017 Award Amount: $25,000
Award Type: Grant
Abstract: The goal of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of two online, self-help, healthy marriage programs for low-income (LI) couples--the OurRelationship program and the ePREP program--in improving mental and physical health compared to a wait-list control group. Effects will be examined both during and following the interventions. This study will assess a broader range of individual mental health (e.g., psychological distress, perceived stress, alcohol use, etc.) and physical health (e.g., exercise, sleep, heart rate variability, etc.) domains than previously studied and use a newly developed objective measure (smart phone collection of heart rate variability). Specifically, this study has four aims. Aim 1 will test for change in individual mental and physical health over the course of the online program. Aim 2 will test for change in individual mental and physical health over the four-month follow-up period. Aim 3 will determine if initial level of individual functioning moderates change in individual mental and physical health during the program and over the four-month follow-up period. Finally, aim 4 will determine if improvements in positive or negative aspects of relationship functioning during the program mediates change in individual mental and physical health during the program and over the four-month follow-up period. This project is uniquely suited to understand how a relationship-focused intervention can positively impact the domains of individual mental and physical health. The population for this study will be 843 couples served as part of an ongoing ACF Healthy Marriage grant. All participants must be married, engaged, or living together for at least 6 months in order to be eligible. Additionally, couples must report a household income that is less than 200% of the federal poverty line.
MeSH Terms:
  • Alcohol Drinking
  • Comparative Effectiveness Research
  • Couples Therapy /*methods
  • Exercise
  • * Health Status
  • Heart Rate
  • Humans
  • Internet
  • Marriage
  • Mental Health
  • Poverty
  • Program Development
  • Program Evaluation
  • Self Care
  • Sleep
  • Smartphone
  • * Spouses
  • Stress, Psychological
Keywords:
  • alcohol use
  • couples
  • heart rate
  • mental health
  • perceived stress
  • physical health
  • psychological distress
  • relationship distress
  • romantic relationship
  • sleep
  • variability
Country: United States
State: Florida
Zip Code: 33124
UI: 20182306
Project Status: Completed