The Office of Family Assistance and the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, both within the Administration for Children and Families, have been working in partnership with Mathematica and Public Strategies to provide evidence that can clarify how healthy marriage and relationship education (HMRE) and responsible fatherhood (RF) programs can better serve participants. The partnership formed through the Fatherhood, Relationships, and Marriage – Illuminating the Next Generation of Research (FRAMING Research) project, which aims to systematically identify current gaps in the knowledge base on HMRE and RF programming.
The FRAMING Research project team recently released two research briefs that offer new insights into how well HMRE programs are serving youth under 18, and how well RF programs are serving fathers with criminal justice involvement.
The Effects of Parenting Programs for Incarcerated and Reentering Fathers summarizes evidence from a review of 10 impact studies. The brief underscores the effects of parenting programs for incarcerated or reentering fathers and identifies gaps in knowledge about how to improve positive outcomes for fathers with criminal justice involvement. Notable findings include:
- Programs were most successful at improving fathers’ contacts with their children and their parenting skills, attitudes, and knowledge. For example, five of the reviewed studies found favorable impacts on outcomes related to fathers’ contacts with their children—such as the frequency of phone calls and interactions with their children.
- We know less about the programs’ impacts on the quality of a father’s relationship with their child and impacts on children’s well-being—outcomes that are central to the goals of parenting programs. Relatively few of these studies examined impacts on the quality of a father’s relationship with their child or improvements in child well-being.
- There is limited evidence on programs offered in a community setting for fathers involved with the criminal penal system, programs that include children or co-parents in services, or programs that offer individual services. These areas would be appropriate to focus on in future research.
The Effects of Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education Programs for Youth summarizes existing evidence on the effectiveness of these programs based on an in-depth review of 15 impact studies. The brief also highlights what we know and do not know about the benefit of these programs, as well as important topics for future research. Notable findings include:
- Multiple studies revealed HMRE programs for youth had favorable impacts on youths’ relationship attitudes and beliefs when those outcomes are measured around the time the program ends. For example, many studies found participants were less likely to agree with unrealistic beliefs about marriage such as those reflected in the statement, “Most long-term happy marriages never have conflict,” and placed a higher value on a partner’s warmth and trustworthiness.
- The evidence of impacts on youths’ relationship skills and conflict management behavior is mixed, with some studies finding favorable impacts and others finding no impacts. An important goal of HMRE programs for youth is to improve young people’s relationship skills and behavior.
- There has been little research on the effectiveness of youth HMRE programs offered outside of schools to reach youth who are not enrolled because of pregnancy, parenting responsibilities, or residential instability. Only 3 of the 15 studies examined the effects of services provided outside of a school setting.
