3 - (SYM 30) Profiles of Low-income Help-seeking Couples and Implications for Intervention Gains: A Person-centered Approach

Online relationship programs have been shown to improve relationship functioning among distressed low-income couples. However, questions remain whether there is heterogeneity in the low-income help-seeking population and how they benefit from these programs. Using a person-centered approach, the current study (1) identified different baseline couple profiles, (2) identified different trajectory profiles of relationship satisfaction over time and (3) examined intervention effects and the extent to which intervention effects differed for those with different baseline couple profiles identified in (2).

Mixed-gender help-seeking low-income couples (N = 659) participated in a randomized controlled trial where couples were randomly assigned to one of the two online relationship programs (n = 432), OurRelationship or ePREP, analyzed together, or the waitlist control group (n = 227; Doss et al., 2020). Latent profile analyses were conducted. Indicators of communication, commitment, emotional support, and sexual satisfaction reported by both partners at baseline were used to identify baseline couple profiles. Relationship satisfaction reported by both partners at baseline, during and post program, and at two- and four-month follow-ups were used to identify trajectory profiles.

Five unique baseline couple profiles were identified: languishing couples (10%), men-committed languishing couples (21%), conflictual passionate couples (31%), companionate couples (22%) and flourishing couples (16%). Four unique trajectory profiles of relationship satisfaction were identified: men-only decline trajectory (25%), women-only improvement trajectory (17%), small-to-medium improvement trajectory (38%), and large improvement trajectory (19%). In addition, intervention effects were found such that, compared to control couples, intervention couples’ odds of following the large improvement trajectory increased and their odds of following the men-only decline trajectory decreased. Overall, intervention effects did not differ based on baseline couple profiles.

Taken together, these findings suggested heterogeneity in relationship characteristics among low-income couples presenting for relationship help and described differentiated change trajectories of relationship satisfaction over time. Notably, despite couples’ baseline relationship differences, there was no differential program effects suggesting that these two online relationship programs are helpful across the board.