Self-helpinterventions for Parenting Couples With Couple Distress.

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Marital Conflict

In brief

Children whose parents experience high levels of couple distress are at greater risk for emotional, behavioral, and academic problems. This study tests two types of self-help for parenting couples: the OurRelationship program (OR), an online guided program, and couple-focused bibliotherapy (BT), a book-based self-help approach. The investigators will compare these interventions with a waitlist (WL) control group to see which is most effective at reducing communication conflict between partners. They will also examine whether the interventions improve child well-being when problems are present at the start of the study. A total of 350 parenting couples in Denmark will take part. Eligible couples have at least one child under 18 living at home and report high levels of conflict or relationship distress. Couples will be randomly assigned to OR, BT, or WL. Questionnaires will be completed online before the program, after the program (10 weeks later), and at 3- and 12-month follow-ups.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07125118

Run by

University of Aarhus

People needed

700

Starts

2024-04-09

Expected to finish

2027-10-09

Last updated by the study team

2025-08-15

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Meet at least one of the two following criteria: (1) Destructive conflict: one or both partners report being a victim or perpetrator of at least one act of physical or psychological aggression in the past three months (see exclusion criteria for intimate partner violence) OR (2) Couple distress: One partner scores ≤11 (1 SD below the Danish population mean), or both partners score ≤13 (0.5 SD below the Danish population mean) on the Couple Satisfaction Index-4 (CSI-4).
• Both partners are at least 18 years old.
• Cohabiting.
• Have at least one child under 18 living at home.
• Reside in a participating Danish municipality.
• Completed the baseline survey.
• Able to read and understand Danish.
• Have internet access and a compatible device (computer, tablet, or smartphone).
• Agree not to engage in couple therapy prior to the 3-month follow-up.

You may not qualify if…

• Current plans to divorce or separate.
• Ongoing affair.
• Moderate to severe suicidal ideation.
• Recent incident of intimate partner violence resulting in physical injury or fear for the safety or well-being of oneself or one's children.

Where it is running

• Aarhus University — Aarhus, Region Midt, Denmark (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.