Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

iRelate: A Comprehensive Approach Empowering Young Marines to Succeed at Intimate Relationships

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Contemporary Family Therapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As a result of the high rate at which young Marines are getting married and divorced, a group of Navy chaplains created a new comprehensive three stage intervention program entitled, Intimate Relationships Awareness, Training, and Enrichment program (iRelate) to address the various relationship needs of the single, engaged, and married Marines. This article presents preliminary program evaluation data for Stage I and Stage II of the iRelate program, with additional data from Marines that are engaged to be married and Marines that were in the process of getting divorced. Results showed, prior to attending Stage I and Stage II of the program, Marines presented with high levels of marriage idealism and overconfidence. Twenty-nine percent stated, because they are Marines, they are capable of taking on adult responsibilities and 32.4 % believed that marriage would require some effort. Of the Marines that were in the process of getting divorced, 40 % indicated that they were too young to be married, 50 % stated if they could do it over again they would have taken more time to get to know their spouse prior to getting married. The post course data indicated that the Marines’ level of idealism and overconfidence decreased, as 63.2 % of the Marines developed a more realistic expectation of marriage, by realizing that marriage will require a lot of hard work. Additionally, Marines felt more prepared for their marriage [t (177) = 7.62, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.25] suggesting that the program offers a significant benefit to the Marines.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acevedo, B. P., & Aron, A. (2009). Does a long-term relationship kill romantic love? Review of General Psychology, 13(1), 59. doi:10.1037/a0014226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, E. S., Stanley, S. M., Rhoades, G. K., Markman, H. J., & Loew, B. A. (2014). Marriage education in the Army: Results of a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Relationship Therapy, 10(4), 309–326. doi:10.1080/15332691.2011.613309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amato, P. R. (2010). Research on divorce: Continuing trends and new developments. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72, 650–666. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00723.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baptist, J. A., Amanor-Boadu, Y., Garrett, K., Goff, B. S. N., Collum, J., Gamble, P.,… Wick, S. (2011). Military marriages: The aftermath of operation Iraqi freedom (OIF) and operation enduring freedom (OEF) deployments. Contemporary Family Therapy, 33(3), 199–214. doi:10.1007/s10591-011-9162-6

  • Burrell, L. M., Adams, G. A., Durand, D., & Castro, C. A. (2006). The impact of military lifestyle demands on well-being, Army, and family outcomes. Journal of Armed Forces and Society, 33(43), 43–58. doi:10.1177/0002764206288804.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bush, N. E., Reger, M. A., Luxton, D. D., Skopp, N. A., Kinn, J., Smolenski, D., & Gahm, G. A. (2013). Suicides and suicide attempts in the U.S. military, 2008–2010. Suicide and Life- Threatening Behavior, 43(3), 262–273. doi:10.1111/sktb.12012.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cadigan, J. (2000). Family status of enlisted personnel. Technical Paper Series 2000-6. Washington, DC: Congressional Budget Office 2000.

  • Cohn, D., Passel, J. S., Wang, W., & Livingston, G. (2011). New marriages down 5% from 2009 to 2010: Barely half of U.S. adults are married: A record low. Washington D.C.: Pew Research Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, D., Shaver, P. R., & Vernon, M. L. (2003). Physical, emotional, and behavioral reactions to breaking up: The roles of gender, age, emotional involvement, and attachment style. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29(7), 871–884. doi:10.117/0146167203029007006.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Boer, A., Van Buel, M., & Ter Horst, G. J. (2012). Love is more than just a kiss: A neurobiological perspective on love and affection. Journal of Neuroscience, 201, 114–124. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.11.017.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Department of Defense. (2012). Department of Defense Suicide Event Report: Calendar Year 2012 Annual Report. Washington, DC: Department of Defense.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fawcett, E. B., Hawkins, A. J., Blanchard, V. L., & Carroll, J. S. (2010). Do premarital education programs really work? A meta-analytic study. Family Relations, 59, 232–239. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2010.00598.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fishbane, M. D. (2012). Neurobiology and family processes. In F. Walsh (Ed.), Normal family process (pp. 553–574). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gomulka, T. (2010). Saving military families, (January–February) (pp. 111–116). Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

  • Greenfield, J. C. (2009). LK Hall: Counseling military families: What mental health professionals need to know. Contemporary Family Therapy, 31(1), 70–72. doi:10.1007/s10591-008-9079-x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guerney, B. (1977). Relationship enhancement: Skill training programs for therapy, problem prevention, and enrichment. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halford, W. K. (2011). Marriage and relationship education: What works and how to provide it. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogan, P. F., & Seifert, R. F. (2009). Marriage and the military: Evidence that those who serve marry earlier and divorce earlier. Armed Forces & Society, 36(3), 420–438. doi:10.1177/0095327X09351228.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hollingsworth, W. G. (2011). Community family therapy with military families experiencing deployment. Contemporary Family Therapy, 33(3), 215–228. doi:10.1007/s10591-011-9144-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hyman, J., Ireland, R., Frost, L., & Cottrell, L. (2012). Suicide incidence and risk factors in an active duty U.S. military population. American Journal of Public Health, 102(s1), S138–S146. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300484.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, S. (2006). Extravagant emotion: Understanding and transforming love relationships in emotionally focused therapy. In D. Fosha, D. J. Siegel, & M. Solomon (Eds.), The healing power of emotion: Affective neuroscience, development, and clinical practice (pp. 257–279). New York, NY: Norton & Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karney, B. R., & Crown, J. S. (2007). Families under stress: An assessment of data, theory, and research on marriage and divorce in the military. Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelty, R., Kleykamp, M., & Segal, D. R. (2010). The military and the transition to adulthood. The Future of Children, 20(1), 181–207. doi:10.1353/foc.0.0045.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lemieux, R., & Hale, J. L. (2002). Cross-sectional analysis of intimacy, passion, and commitment: Testing the assumptions of the triangular theory of love. Psychological Reports, 90(3), 1009–1014. doi:10.2466/pr0.2002.90.3.1009.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, M., Lamson, A., & Leseuer, B. (2012). Health dynamics of military and veteran couples: A biopsychorelational overview. Contemporary Family Therapy, 34(2), 259–276. doi:10.1007/s10591-012-9193-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lundquist, J. H. (2007). A comparison of civilian and enlisted divorce rates during the early all volunteer force era. Journal of Political and Military Sociology, 35(2), 199–217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lundquist, J. H., & Xu, Z. (2014). Reinstitutionalizing families: Life course policy and marriage in the military. Journal of Marriage and Family, 76(5), 1063–1108. doi:10.1111/jomf.12131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marek, L. I., & D’Aniello, C. (2014). Reintegration stress and family mental health: Implications for therapists working with reintegrating military families. Contemporary Family Therapy, 36(4), 443–451. doi:10.1007/s10591-014-9316-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markman, H. J., & Rhoads, G. K. (2012). Relationship education research: Current status and future direction. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 38(1), 169–200. doi:10.1111/j.-1752-0606.2011.00247.x.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McGeorge, C. R., & Carlson, T. S. (2006). Premarital education: An assessment of program efficacy. Contemporary Family Therapy, 28(1), 165–190. doi:10.1007/s10591-006-9701-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, S. L., Nunnally, E. W., & Wackman, D. B. (1976). A communication training program for couples. Social Case Work, 57(1), 9–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. (2012). 2012 Demographics: Profile of the Military Community (p. 52). Washington, DC: Department of Defense.

  • Rhoades, G. K., & Stanley, S. M. (2009). Relationship education for individuals: The benefits and challenges of intervening early. In H. Benson & S. Callan (Eds.), What works in relationship education: Lessons from academics and service deliverers in the United States and Europe (pp. 45–54). Doha, Qatar: Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skopp, N. A., Trofimovich, L., Grimes, J., Oetjen-Gerdes, L., & Gahm, G. A. (2012). Relations between suicide and traumatic brain injury, psychiatric diagnoses, and relationship problems, active component, U.S. armed forces, 2001–2009. Defense Technical Information, 19(2), 7–11. Retrieved from:http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a564467.pdf

  • Stanley, S. M., Allen, E. S., Markman, H. J., Rhoades, G. K., & Prentice, D. L. (2010). Decreasing divorce in U.S. Army couples: Results from a randomized controlled trial using prep for strong bonds. Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy, 9(2), 149–160.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, S. M., Allen, E. S., Markman, J. H., Saiz, C. C., Bloomstrom, G., Thomas, R. … Schumm, W. R., & Bailey, A. E. (2005). Dissemination and evaluation of marriage education in the army. Family Process, 44(2), 187–201. doi:10.1111/j.1545-5300.2005.00053x

  • Sternberg, R. J. (1986). A triangular theory of love. Psychological Review, 93(2), 119. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.93.2.119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United States Marine Corps. (2012). The Marine Corps: A young vigorous force: Demographic update. Washington DC: Department of Defense.

    Google Scholar 

  • Worthen, M., Moos, R., & Ahern, J. (2012). Iraq and Afghanistan veterans’ experiences living with their parents after separation from the military. Contemporary Family Therapy, 34(3), 362–375. doi:10.1007/s10591-012-9196-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Counseling and Family Sciences, Loma Linda University, 113 Griggs Hall, Loma Linda, CA, 92350, USA

    Griselda M. Lloyd, Diana R. Munoz & Brian J. Distelberg

  2. United States Navy, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Deputy Force Chaplain, Box 64105, Camp Smith, HI, 96861-4105, USA

    Paul S. Tremblay

  3. Chaplain Corps, United States Navy, MAG-13 Chaplain, MCAS Yuma, AZ, 85365, USA

    Michael E. Foskett

  4. Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine University, 6100 Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA, 90045, USA

    Maureen M. Hallett

Authors
  1. Griselda M. Lloyd
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Diana R. Munoz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Paul S. Tremblay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michael E. Foskett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Maureen M. Hallett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Brian J. Distelberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Griselda M. Lloyd.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lloyd, G.M., Munoz, D.R., Tremblay, P.S. et al. iRelate: A Comprehensive Approach Empowering Young Marines to Succeed at Intimate Relationships. Contemp Fam Ther 37, 247–260 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-015-9333-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-015-9333-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation