Group work with married couples : a marriage skills intervention programme to improve the competencies of couples

Abstract

Society has become cynical about the institution of marriage because so many marriages end in failure. Recent statistics compiled in South Africa indicate a decline in registered marriages and an increase in divorce cases countrywide. This may imply that couples are not equipped to deal with the challenges of married life. The researcher identified a lack of research on marriage in South Africa over the past two decades as well as a scarcity of resources that could be used to assist couples in a multi-cultural context and who are from a low socio-economic area in improving their marriage relationships. To address these problems, the researcher developed a group marriage skills intervention programme that could assist couples in acquiring skills to improve their relationships. Fourteen couples from Midrand, South Africa volunteered to take part in the intervention. The theoretical framework of the research was the Marital Systems Theory, and Action Research was chosen as the research design. Action Research follows a collaborative approach and focuses on finding solutions through community participation. The situational analysis employed a mixed-method approach. Quantitative data were collected from fifty married individuals in the community using the Three Couple Scales of the Prepare/Enrich programme, and a survey questionnaire which is semi-structured that the researcher had developed. Qualitative data on marriage experiences were gathered from interviews conducted with sixteen participating couples. The data from the situational needs analysis were used to understand the problems people in the specific community experienced in marriages. Results from the situational analysis and a review of relevant literature enabled the researcher to develop an intervention that would address important components to improve couples’ marriages. The intervention of 18 hours was implemented, and the sessions were held on three consecutive Saturdays and were facilitated by the researcher. A pre-and post-assessment using the Three Couple Scales was done to establish if the intervention had brought about a change in the couples’ marital satisfaction, communication, and conflict management. The statistical analysis showed a significant improvement in the couples’ scores after the intervention. A feedback questionnaire that contained open-ended questions was used to obtain qualitative data on couples’ experiences of the intervention and any changes in their relationships. Thematic analysis was used to create codes and themes from the data gathered in an evaluation questionnaire to create a story of the outcome of the intervention. The results showed that the marital skills intervention contributed to improvement of the couples’ marital relationships. The intervention was specifically developed for couples who lived in a low-income community and could not afford the services of a professional. The positive outcome of the intervention warranted further implementation in the broader community whose members could benefit from such a programme.