Evaluating a Relationship Education Program with Incarcerated Adults

Research indicates healthy family relationships can reduce recidivism. More effort has been placed towards providing family life programming in prisons to promote healthy individual and relational functioning, yet only a handful of studies have evaluated and provided insight on relationship education (RE) for incarcerated adults. This study contributes to this emerging effort and examines changes following participation in a RE program, using a sample of 461 incarcerated men and women. Findings indicate significant improvements in anxiety and depressive symptoms and conflict resolution skills. Additional tests of moderation of change by gender, relationship status, and child age revealed a greater change in individual functioning for those in a relationship compared to those who were not. Indications are that RE programs hold promise for contributing to better individual well-being and healthy relationships during incarceration and the potential for reducing recidivism incidence after re-entry.