The Relationship Between Social Support and Family Relationships Among Low-Income Couples Attending Relationship Education |
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Authors: | Ryan G. Carlson Naomi J. Wheeler Xun Liu Christopher Hipp Andrew P. Daire |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Educational Studies, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC;2. Department of Counseling and Special Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA;3. Consortium for Family Strengthening Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC |
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Abstract: | Results are mixed for relationship education (RE) interventions with low-income couples. For couples who experienced positive changes, it is not clear what aspects of program models contributed to change. Many low-income couples attend government-funded RE with limited access to social and community resources. Program models often provide related resources complimentary to RE skill-building. We examined the relationship between income, social support, and family functioning for low-income, ethnically diverse couples (N = 856) who attended RE, as well as the mediating effects of social support on family functioning outcomes. Analyses included three separate dyadic models that examined associations among constructs at baseline and immediately following the RE intervention. Results demonstrated relationships between participants’ reported social support and family functioning such that (a) social support was associated with baseline family functioning for both men and women; (b) men’s baseline social support was influenced by women’s baseline family functioning; and (c) men’s and women’s social support change score had a positive influence on their own family functioning change score. However, social support was not a significant mediator of change in family functioning. Implications for RE practice and research are also discussed. |
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Keywords: | Relationship education Social support Low-income couples Relationship quality Parenting Family Educación para las relaciones apoyo social parejas de bajos recursos calidad de la relación crianza familia 关系教育 社会支持 低收入伴侣 关系质量 养育孩子 家庭 |
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