This program evaluation was conducted by interviewing 40 low-income participants in a relationship education (RE) program for stepfamilies to determine specific benefits of a group-formatted intervention. The benefits that were most often identified were learning from others and having personal stepfamily challenges normalized. Participants also reported the group format facilitated social support. Participants enjoyed the opportunity to share their own approaches and solutions with the other stepfamilies. Identifiable benefits of group-formatted stepfamily education are delineated as are implementation considerations for working with large groups of low-income stepfamilies. Specifically, recommendations regarding trust and logistics are provided.
Adler-Baeder, F. ( 2007). Smart steps: Embrace the journey. Auburn, AL: National Stepfamily Resource Center.
2.
Adler-Baeder, F., & Higginbotham, B. (2004). Implications of remarriage and stepfamily formation for marriage education. Family Relations , 53, 448-458.
3.
Bamberger, M., Rugh, J., Church, M., & Fort, L. ( 2004). Shoestring evaluation: Designing impact evaluations under budget, time and data constraints. American Journal of Evaluation , 25, 5-37.
4.
Bogdan, R.C., & Biklen, S.K. ( 2003). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theory and methods (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
5.
Booth, A., & Edwards, J.N. ( 1992). Starting over. Why remarriages are more unstable. Journal of Family Issues, 13, 179-194.
6.
Ceballo, R., Lansford, J.E., Abbey, A., & Stewart, A.J. ( 2004). Gaining a child: Comparing the experiences of biological, adoptive, and stepparents. Family Relations, 53, 38-48.
7.
Coleman, M., Ganong, L., & Fine, M. ( 2000). Reinvestigating remarriage: Another decade of progress . Journal of Marriage and the Family, 62, 1288-1307.
8.
Ganong, L.H., & Coleman, M. ( 2004). Stepfamily relationships: Development, dynamics, and interventions. New York, NY: Kluwer .
9.
Halford, W., Moore, E., Wilson, K., Dyer, C., & Farrugia, C. ( 2004). Benefits of a flexible delivery relationship education: An evaluation of the Couple CARE program. Family Relations , 53, 469-476.
10.
Higginbotham, B. (n.d.). Stepfamily education. Retrieved January 16, 2010, from http://stepfamily.usu.edu/
11.
Higginbotham, B., & Skogrand, L. ( 2010). Relationship education with married and unmarried stepcouples: An exploratory study. Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy: Innovations in Clinical and Educational Interventions, 9, 133-148.
12.
Higginbotham, B., Skogrand, L., & Torres, E. ( 2010). Stepfamily education: Perceived benefits for children . Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 51, 36-49.
13.
Higginbotham, B.J., Miller, J., & Niehuis, S. ( 2009). Remarriage preparation: Usage, perceived helpfulness, and dyadic adjustment. Family Relations, 58, 316-329.
14.
Kurdek, L.A. ( 1991). Predictors of increases in marital distress in newlywed couples: A 3-year prospective longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 27, 627-636.
15.
McDermut, W., Miller, I.W., & Brown, R.A. ( 2001). The efficacy of group psychotherapy for depression: A meta-analysis and review of the empirical research. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 8, 98-116.
16.
Michaels, M.L. ( 2000). The stepfamily enrichment program: A preliminary evaluation using focus groups. American Journal of Family Therapy, 28, 61-73.
17.
Nicholson, J.M., Phillips, M., Whitton, S., Halford, W.K., & Sanders, M.R. ( 2007). Promoting healthy stepfamilies: Couples’ reasons for seeking help and perceived benefits from intervention. Family Matters, 77, 48-56.
18.
Pill, C.J. ( 1981). A family life education group for working with stepparents . Social Casework, 62, 159-166.
19.
Robertson, A., Adler-Baeder, F., Collins, A., DeMarco, D., Fein, D., & Schramm, D. ( 2006). Meeting the needs of married, low-income stepfamily couples in marriage education services. Cambridge, MA: Abt Associates.
20.
Skogrand, L., Barrios-Bell, A., & Higginbotham, B. (2009). Stepfamily education for Latino couples and families: Implications for practice. Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy: Innovations in Clinical and Educational Interventions, 8, 113-128.
21.
Skogrand, L., Reck, K.H., Higginbotham, B., Adler-Baeder, F., & Dansie, L. ( 2010). Recruitment and retention for stepfamily education. Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy: Innovations in Clinical and Educational Interventions, 9, 48-65.
22.
Spoth, R., Redmond, C., Hoackaday, C., & Shin, C.Y. ( 1996). Barriers to participation in family skills preventive interventions and their evaluations. Family Relations, 45, 247-254.
23.
Stewart, S. ( 2005). Boundary ambiguity in stepfamilies. Journal of Family Issues, 26, 1002-1029.
24.
Visher, E.B., & Visher, J.S. ( 1996). Therapy with stepfamilies. New York, NY: Brunner/Mazel.
25.
Visher, E.B., Visher, J.S., & Pasley, K. ( 2003). Remarriage families and stepparenting. In F. Walsh (Ed.), Normal family processes: Growing diversity and complexity (3rd ed., pp. 153-175). New York, NY: Guilford.
26.
Whitton, S.W., Nicholson, J.M., & Markman, H.J. ( 2008). Research on interventions for stepfamily couples: The state of the field. In J. Pryor (Ed.), International handbook of stepfamilies: Policy and practice in legal, research and clinical spheres (pp. 455-484). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
27.
Yalom, I.D., & Leszcz, M. ( 2005). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (5th ed.). New York, NY: Basic Books.
28.
Yancey, A., Ortega, A., & Kumanyika, S. ( 2006). Effective recruitment and retention of minority research participants. Annual Review of Public Health, 27, 1-28.
