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NREPP SAMHSA'S National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices
IMPORTANT LEGACY NOTICE: Legacy Programs have not been reviewed by the current National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP). The programs in this database were reviewed only under the previous National Registry of Effective Prevention Programs system. This section is intended to be used for historical reference only. If you would like more information about a program listed here, please contact the program developer directly. The program developer of each Legacy Program listed here agreed to post program information on this site.

PREPARE/ENRICH Program (Couple Assessment and Skill Building Program)

Brief Program Description

The PREPARE/ENRICH Program is designed to help couples prepare for marriage and enrich those married by focusing objectively on critical relationship issues and teaching relationship skills. The program has six goals and one couple exercise for each goal:

  1. Exploring couple strength and growth areas
  2. Strengthening couple communication skills
  3. Learning how to resolve couple conflict
  4. Exploring family-of-origin issues
  5. Developing a financial plan and budget
  6. Developing personal, couple, and family goals

The program is designed to build relationship skills and increase insight and awareness so couples can be more proactive in strengthening their relationship over time.

The PREPARE/ENRICH Program is delivered in four to six sessions with a trained counselor. Sessions average 1 to 1.5 hours. At the beginning of the course, couples complete one of five customized "couple inventories," depending on their life situation (first or second marriage, age, and cohabitation). The counselor receives a 15-page computerized report of the inventory results, upon which the treatment is based. The counselor then focuses the sessions on exercises focusing on strength and growth areas and communication and conflict resolution. Couples are given several homework assignments over the course of the program to reinforce session exercises.

Suitable Settings

The PREPARE/ENRICH Program is suitable for implementation in a community setting.

Required Resources

Requirements for use include a 7-hour certification workshop. Required materials include the PREPARE/ENRICH Counselor's Manual. The couple receives a 25-page Building a Strong Marriage Workbook.

Outcomes

Research compared PREPARE Program with feedback to the PREPARE Program without feedback and a wait-list control group. The findings revealed that only couples in the PREPARE Program with feedback group showed increases in couple satisfaction. Couples in the PREPARE Program with feedback showed improvements in 10 of 13 categories. Couples in the PREPARE Program without feedback made improvements in 4 of 13 categories. The control group made no improvements.

Contact Information

For indepth information on this program, please use the contact listed below.

Program Developer

David H.Olson, Ph.D.
Life Innovations, Inc.
P.O. BOX 190
Minneapolis, MN 55440
Phone: (800) 331-1661
Email: cs@lifeinnovations.com; dolson@prepare-enrich.com
Website: www.prepare-enrich.com

In October 2004, this program was designated as a Promising Program under SAMHSA's previous National Registry of Effective Prevention Programs system.