URBANA, Ill, USA – When couples attend relationship counseling, it benefits not only their partnership but also their individual well-being. But which aspects of the training are most influential in this respect? A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines how a popular intervention program affected individual outcomes such as mental health, sleep, and substance use.

“Past research has looked at different factors that might explain why these programs are helping couples’ relationships. But we thought it was remarkable that relationship education also benefits people's individual health, and we wanted to find out what might explain this,” said lead author Noah Larsen, a graduate student in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at Illinois. The study’s co-author is Allen Barton, Illinois Extension specialist and assistant professor in HDFS.

The study included individuals who participated in the Strong Couples Project, a research-based relationship education program available at no cost to couples in the U.S. The program covers topics such as communication, conflict, problem-solving, commitment, and friendship. It is delivered through online modules and video calls with a program coach. Study participants were either married, engaged, or in a cohabitating relationship. They completed surveys prior to the intervention, immediately after its conclusion, and six months later.

Larsen and Barton focused on three program components – partner support, better communication, and increased relationship confidence. They found all three factors were important but improvements in relationship confidence had the biggest impact on individual outcomes, including improved mental health, better sleep, and reduced substance use.

“Relationship confidence involves the belief that my partner and I can handle whatever challenges come our way and build a lasting future together. It involves trusting that our relationship will continue and feeling assured that we have the skills to manage conflicts and keep the relationship strong,” Larsen explained.

Communication and support are crucial in everyday interactions, but relationship confidence involves a deeper, more ongoing commitment to maintaining the relationship, which might provide unique benefits for individual mental health, Larsen said.

He suggests couples can be mindful of building or maintaining that sense of confidence in their relationship. For example, they can reflect on their strengths and accomplishments as a couple. Remembering hard times they've made it through successfully can reinforce the belief that they can handle whatever comes next.

Relationship counselors can help couples build skills to deal with challenging situations and encourage them to talk about their future together and develop a sense of being a team.

The researchers found the results applied to all participants regardless of income, age, education level, and gender. The only difference was that married individuals experienced greater improvements in relationship confidence at the end of the program.

“Marriage often comes with a long-term commitment to the relationship. When couples reflect on that commitment and their shared future, it can strengthen their confidence in the relationship even more,” Larsen said.

The Strong Couples Project is offered through Illinois Extension and directed by Barton. It is available free of charge to qualifying participants nationwide.

The paper, “How Do Couple Relationship Interventions Improve Individual Well-Being? The Role of Relationship Confidence,” is published in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy [DOI:10.1111/jmft.70104].