$2.3 Million Grant to Meet Need for Stepfamily Education

Nearly a third of new marriages include at least one partner who has been previously married. Of these, more than half have children from a previous union. With divorce rates hovering between 40 and 50 percent, it is likely the number of stepfamilies will continue to rise.

Citing existing research and requests from Utah citizens, Utah State University Extension’s Brian Higginbotham said there is a need and demand for remarriage and stepfamily education.

 

“Most parents who get divorced don’t stay divorced, and many single parents aren’t really single,” he said. “They still date, and in many cases, cohabit, a scenario which creates de facto stepfamilies.”

 

Many couples and children in Utah live in stepfamilies and desire to have stable, satisfying and successful relationships. Our goal is to educate them regarding the skills they need to make that desire a reality, he said.

 

To address this need, Higginbotham and co-investigator Linda Skogrand, both USU Extension family life specialists, recently received a $2.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to teach healthy marriage skills to Utah stepfamilies. Scot Allgood, professor in the family, consumer, and human development department, is also a co-investigator on the five-year project.

 

The title of the grant is “Teaching Healthy Marriage Skills to Ethnically Diverse, Low Income Couples in Stepfamilies.” The education will come in the form of a 12-hour, research-based program for adults and their children and stepchildren. Participants will also attend booster sessions and receive newsletters. Classes will be offered at 10 sites throughout northern Utah in partnership with community family service agencies.

 

“Couples with children from prior relationships face unique challenges that are not encountered by individuals who are childless and getting married for the first time,” Higginbotham said. “These couples can benefit tremendously by receiving education on healthy relationship skills and strategies that facilitate stepfamily adjustment.”

 

Few programs designed to address this type of marriage enrichment exist, and even fewer research projects have documented their effectiveness. To fill these gaps, Higginbotham’s team applied for the grant. Since the federal award is a “demonstration grant,” Higginbotham said the primary project goals include demonstrating effective strategies to teach healthy marriage skills to low-income, ethnically diverse couples in stepfamilies and documenting the effectiveness of a research-based remarriage/stepfamily curriculum with samples of Hispanic and Caucasian low-income couples.

 

A unique component of the project is the focus on underserved stepfamilies.

 

“Low income and ethnically diverse stepfamilies are traditionally harder to reach and research with marriage enrichment programs,” Higginbotham said. “Historically, they aren’t as likely to show up for workshops. That’s why this program will be administered through family service agencies the stepfamilies are already familiar with such as Centro de Familia, Child and Family Support Center of Cache County and the Ogden-Weber Community Action Partnership.”

 

Writer: Dennis Hinkamp 435-797-1392