Elevate - Taking your relationship to the next level

Research and Impact

The ELEVATE program is showing a positive impact on couples!

  • Campbell, A., Futris, T. G., Richardson, E.W., & Gilbert, A. (2025). Changes in relationship skills and parenting stress among vulnerable couples participating in couple relationship education before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Family Process, 64: e13099.  Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.13099

  • Adler-Baeder, F., McGill, J., Frosch, C. A., Wei, M., & Coskun, M. (2025). The impact of Couple Relationship Education (CRE) on parents of young children’s couple functioning, family harmony, parenting and their children’s aggressive behaviour. Early Child Development and Care, 1–16. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2025.2452578 

  • Cooper, E., Adler-Baeder, F., & McGill, J. (2024). Adverse Childhood Experiences among Couple Relationship Education Participants: Exploring Influence on Program Impact and Testing Models of Risk and Resilience. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 23(4), 423–446. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332691.2024.2345686

  • Wei, M., Adler‐Baeder, F., McGill, J. M., & Novak, J. R. (2024). Healthy couple, better sleep: Exploring connections and changes in couple relationship education participants. Family Process, 63(4), 1753–1774 https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12987

  • Arroyo, A., Richardson, E. W., Hargrove, C. M., & Futris, T. G. (2024). Foster caregivers' depressive symptoms and parenting stress: Applying the theory of resilience and relational load. Family Relations, 73(2), 1438-1454. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12908

  • Griffes, S. E. , Hardy, N. R. , Gregson, T. J. , Brosi, M. W. , & Gardner, B. (2024). Couple relationship education content: What we have and what we are missing. Family Process, 63(4), 1790–1806. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.13043

  • Vasquez, T. S., Moss, C., Harris, V., & Visconti, B. (2023). Are You Satisfied? Examining Positive Interaction and Satisfaction in Romantic Relationships. Journal of Family Issues, 45(6), 1355-1377.  https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X231172286

  • Richardson, E. W., Mallette, J. K., Futris, T. G., & Pettit, M. (2023). Non-relative foster caregivers’ changes in mindfulness and couple relationship skills following relationship education. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(5), 1332–1353. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231157774

  • Patnaik, A., Gellar, J. E., Dunn, R., & Goesling, B. (2023). Impact of text message reminders on attendance at healthy marriage and relationship education workshops. Family Relations, 72(4), 1474-1490. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12820

  • Nesbit, T. S., Harris, V. W., Visconti, B., Sewell, C. B., Fogarty, K., Duncan, J. C., ... & Nelson, N. (2023). Lessons from the Field. Continuous Quality Improvement: A multiyear HMRF case study of best practices in outreach program excellence. Family Relations, 72(5), 2627-2646. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12826

  • Adler-Baeder, F., McGill, J., Dede Yildirim, E., Gregson, K., Cooper, E., Burke, L., Finnegan, V., & Jackel, R. (2022). Concurrent randomized control trials of the 1-year efficacy of two couple relationship education programs: ELEVATE and Couples Connecting Mindfully. Family Process, 61, 986–1004.  https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12750

  • Totura Garrison, C. M. W., Neely, D., McGill, J., & Adler-Baeder, F. (2022). Social influences predicting involvement in couple relationship education. Family Relations, 1– 17. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12810

  • Adler-Baeder, F., Futris, T. G., McGill, J., Richardson, E. W., & Dede Yildirim, E. (2022). Validating the couple relationship skills inventory. Family Relations, 71, 279-306. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12590

  • Richardson, E. W., Pettit, M., Futris, T. G., & Gale, J. (2021). A latent class analysis of non-relative foster caregivers’ trait mindfulness and individual and relationship outcomes. Journal of Family Psychology, 36(7), 1262–1273.  https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000917  

  • Richardson, E. W., Mallette, J. K., Futris, T. G., Dai, Y., & DeMeester, K. (2021). Foster caregivers’ parenting stress as a moderator of change in coparenting following relationship education. Journal of Family Issues. 43(10), 2599-2623. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X211031521

  • Cooper, E., Adler‐Baeder, F., & McGill, J. (2021). Individual mental health and couple functioning following couple relationship education participation: exploring prospective cross‐lagged influences among changes. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 47, 945-961 https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12493 

  • McGill, J., Adler‐Baeder, F. and Garneau‐Rosner, C. (2021). An Evaluation of the ELEVATE Program for Couples: Considering Vulnerabilities and Relationship Length. Family Relations, 70, 327-351. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12502

  • Bodenlos, Katie, Hannah McInerney, and Daniel Friend. (2021). Providing Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education Programs Virtually: Lessons from a Case Study of the ELEVATE Program in Florida. OPRE Report # 2021-158. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/providing-healthy-marriage-and-relationship-education-programs-virtually-lessons-case

  • Adler-Baeder, F., Jackel, R., McGill, J., Finnegan, V., Burke, L., Wagoner, T., Yildirim, E. D., Almond, L., Cooper, E., Elzie, D., Wei, M., Youell, T., Gregson, K. (2020, September). Promoting Relational Health in Alabama: Evaluation Report. Auburn University. Available at https://www.alabamamarriage.org/assets/uploads/2021/02/AL_HealthyMarriage-Glossy-Report.pdf 

  • DeMeester, K., Futris, T.G., Richardson, E. W., Simmons, B., & Thompson, J. (2021). Descriptive Evaluation of Elevate and Together We Can in Georgia. Submitted to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance. Washington, DC. Available at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/healthy-marriage-responsible-fatherhood/data-reports

  • McGill, J., Adler-Baeder, F., and Gregson, K. (2020). Impact Evaluation of ELEVATE and Couples Connecting Mindfully in Alabama. Submitted to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance. Washington, DC. Available at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/healthy-marriage-responsible-fatherhood/data-reports

  • Alamillo, Julia, Diane Paulsell, and Daniel Friend. (2020). ELEVATE: Implementation of a healthy marriage and relationship education program by a statewide cooperative extension service. OPRE Report # 2020-99. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/elevate-implementation-healthy-marriage-and-relationship-education-program-statewide

ELEVATE is Evidence-Based!

RCT efficacy study conducted by Adler-Baeder et al (2022) shows couples in the ELEVATE program reported significant gains in couple relationship skills, couple quality, and family harmony.

Read the article published in Family Process

Jump to top