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Abstract

Previous research on high school relationship and marriage education (RME) has shown small but positive course effects. However, these studies have pooled results across schools, without exploring differences in outcomes by school. This article examines variations in students’ RME course experiences by school, captured in interviews. It compares these against the average change in students’ relationship skills from pre- to postexposure at each school, measured in surveys. Results show that at schools where students show quantitative gains in relationship skills during the course, qualitative differences are also visible—students discuss learning a wide variety of course lessons, relevant to both adolescent and adult relationships. At schools where students do not show quantitative gains in relationship skills, they describe learning a limited number of lessons. Findings confirm the importance of exploring variation in course effects across schools and demonstrate that successful courses affect students in a variety of respects simultaneously.

Keywords

adolescents intervention evaluation relationship and marriage education

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School Variation in Students’ Experiences of High School Relationship and Marriage Education Courses

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