Relationship Enhancement for Single Females: Interpersonal Network Intervention

The present study assesses the effects of relationship enhancement training on the level of communication skills, amount of relationship change, and friendship strength of single female friendship pairs. Pairs of single female friends who indicated an interest in the program were randomly assigned to an experimental group (N = 16) or to a control group (N = 22). The experimental group participated in a four-week, 12-hour relationship enhancement skills training program, while the control group received no training. Results indicated that the experimental group, relative to the control group, significantly increased their level of communication skills and perceived amount of relationship change. No differences were found between the two groups on perceived amount of friendship strength. Discussion centers on: (a) some probable factors contributing to the indicated results, (b) limitations and implications of the study, and (c) suggestions for future research.