Including diverse participants in couple intervention studies is critical for developing an evidence base that informs best practices for all potential clients. Research has shown that subgroups of clients respond differently to different interventions and that interventions that have been adapted to fit the needs of a given population are more effective than non‐adapted interventions. Unfortunately, couple intervention samples often exclude participants with marginalized identities and culturally adapted couple intervention research is limited. The lack of information about best practices for diverse client subgroups perpetuates mental and relational health disparities. We conducted a systematic review to examine recruitment strategies and sampling characteristics of diverse races/ethnicities, incomes, ages, and sexual identities. We reviewed articles published between January 2015 and December 2020. Articles were eligible for inclusion in our review if they implemented an intervention with couples in the United States. Of 4054 articles identified, 54 articles were eligible for our review. Findings suggest that couple intervention studies lack diversity across multiple identity domains (i.e., races/ethnicities, incomes, ages, and sexual identities). Further, descriptions of recruitment strategies are often vague, limiting opportunities to better understand methods used to recruit diverse samples.

Children and families of color in the United States (U.S.) have long had to battle to develop a positive identity in the face of discrimination based upon race, ethnicity, immigration status, and gender. Historically, racial-ethnic minorities have experienced various types of trauma exposures in the U.S., including enslavement, family separation, deportation, colonization, discrimination, ridicule, and stereotyping that permeate U.S. society. Yet, they still have managed within their families to advance some sense of shared within-group identities, values, beliefs, and practices that have fostered child and family development. This paper focuses on the experiences of African American and Latinx families who, though distinct in historical and cultural experiences, have some similarities in social disparities that should inform parenting programs. Prevention and intervention that seeks to engage families of color should be sensitive to centuries of racism and structural inequalities that have contributed to their unique socio-cultural contexts (Bernal et al., 2009; Spencer et al., 1997).We first explore the historical context of racial-ethnic trauma among children of color in the U.S. Second, we build upon the work in traumatic stress as a rationale for examining culturally relevant and responsive adaptations that address linguistics, worldviews, and contexts, describing the ways in which these concepts are evidenced in programming and effects upon family processes, and youth socio-emotional development. We discuss the implications for multi-group intervention, homogenous and heterogeneous group composition, underscoring the value of critical frameworks attuned to psychological trauma that draw upon a strengths-based perspective of culture for African American and Latinx children and families.

The formation and development of the therapeutic alliance in couple therapy is a complex process and a key contributor to positive treatment outcomes. This study explored differences in trajectories of therapeutic alliance by sex and treatment condition among 24 couples randomized to receive Emotionally Focused Therapy or treatment as usual. The results identified a curvilinear growth pattern for alliance across both treatment groups. Female partners reported higher alliance than male partners after the first session across treatment groups, and female partners receiving Emotionally Focused Therapy reported higher initial alliance than female partners receiving treatment as usual. The rates of change for alliance did not differ by sex or treatment condition. The implications of the change pattern and differences in alliance formation by sex and treatment are discussed.

Parenting interventions are a promising means for preventing and treating a variety of child behavior and conduct problems; yet, many families lack access to such services. Online parenting programs offer an opportunity to mitigate many barriers to intervention access by extending service delivery options. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of a brief, online parenting program. We developed a new online parenting program based on foundational content from the evidence‐based GenerationPMTO intervention and used a mixed‐methods, single‐arm open trial (pre–post) design to perform a preliminary evaluation. The combined results from the quantitative and qualitative data provide initial support for the acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of the online program, based on participant self‐report data from program completers. Participants indicated high levels of acceptability for the program topics and videos. They also reported statistically significant improvements from baseline to 4 weeks postintervention in parental efficacy, parenting practices, and child behavior problems. The qualitative data corroborated and expanded these findings. We go on to discuss important accessibility and sustainability considerations addressed by this online parenting program as well as to suggest implications for intervention research and mental health practice.

To better assist families experiencing stress, providers must understand the translation of family stress theory to their clinical application. The present study synthesized knowledge by performing a systematic review of journal articles published from 2010 to 2020. Studies were systematically screened, and 23 empirical articles met final inclusion. We reviewed how family stress theory was used in previous studies and what recommendations were suggested for mental health providers. Our findings revealed that family stress theory has primarily been used as a theoretical framework to measure stress variables. To advance the application of family stress theory in clinical work, we suggest a number of implications for providers based on our findings to better meet the needs of families.