Completing a Couples Relationship Education Intervention:

Differences in Parental Alliance and Distress Between Black

Brianna Williams
and
White
Fathers
Mentor: Andrew P. Daire
INTRODUCTION
Research has found that positive change
in father involvement was associated with
increased parental alliance (Rienks,
Wadsworth, Markman et al., 2011).
Although many low-income families have
limited resources, they still have
supportive and positive familial
interactions (Cabrera & Mitchell, 2009).
While much research exists about the
effects parents, particularly nonresident
fathers, have on child distress and social
outcomes, there is limited research
assessing parental distress for just fathers.
There is also limited research examining
the differences in distress and parenting
alliance between black and white fathers.

RESEARCH QUESTION
What differences exist pre to post
between the parenting alliance and
family adjustment of Black and White
fathers participating in a couples
relationship education (CRE)
intervention?
Hypothesis
H = There will be differences pre and
post in parenting alliance and family
adjustment between Black and White
fathers participating in a CRE
intervention.

METHODS

Participants
Black and White fathers who participated
in the Project TOGETHERs Year 2 Within
Our Reach (WOR) and WOR+ intervention.
Assessments
Family Adjustment Measure (FAMII)
Parental Alliance Measure (PAM)
Relationship Education Curriculums
WOR and WOR+, Prevention and
Relationship Enhancement Program
(PREP) curriculums.
12-hour and 15-hour courses that last 3
hours long over 4 and 5 weeks,
respectively.

ABSTRACT
This study examines the influences of a couple and relationship education intervention family
adjustment (as measured by the Family Adjustment Measure [FAM-II]) and parental alliance (as
measured by the Parenting Alliance Measure [PAM]) of fathers in a relationship. Data was used
from participants in UCFs Marriage and Family Research Institutes Project T.O.G.E.T.H.E.R., a
three year relationship education program. We conducted the following analyses including: (a)
repeated-measures ANOVA measuring parental alliance and (b) two-way, repeated-measures
MANOVA measuring family adjustment. Based on the analyses, we discuss the results of the
relationship education program influencing the parental distress and interpersonal relationship
concerns of fathers. Additionally, we discuss Black and White fathers who participate in
relationship education and their overall relationship satisfaction post-intervention.

RESULTS

FAMII Descriptive
Statistics:
Parental Distress
Black
Pre

Mean

SD

38
38

12.11
11.42

4.98
5.06

FAMII - Repeated
Measures Multivariate Testsa
Post
White
60
11.90 Observ
3.71
Valu F (4,60
ed
Pre
11.18
3.87
Effect
e
93) Sig.
Powerc
Betwee IntercePost
Pillai's
1910.33 .
.988
.988 1.000
n
pt
Trace
8b
000
Subject
Wilks'
1910.33 .
.012
.988 1.000
s
Lambda
8b
000
Race Pillai's
.
.019 .457b
.019 .153
Trace
767
Wilks'
.
b
.981 .457
.019 .153
Lambda
767
Within Time Pillai's
.
b
.171 4.791
.171 .946
Subject
Trace
001
s
Wilks'
.
.829 4.791b
.171 .946
Lambda
001
Time * Pillai's
.
.054 1.320b
.054 .398
Race
Trace t-test was conducted
268
A paired
samples
to
Wilks'
.
b
examine the differences
pre1.320
to post within
.946
.054 .398
Lambda
268

each group of fathers on the Family

Adjustment Measure (FAMII).

Within Black fathers :

no statistically significant difference in
the scores of parental distress.
t (37) = .935, p = .356 (two-tailed).
The mean decrease in FAMII was .684
with a 95% confidence interval ranging
from 4.51 to .731.
Within White fathers:
statistically significant difference in the
scores of parental distress
t (59) = 2.105, p = .040 (two-tailed).
The mean decrease in PAM was .717
with a 95% confidence interval ranging
from .036 to 1.398.

Parental Alliance
Descriptive
Statistics
PAM - Black
Pre

Mean

38
38

61.29
67.39

SD

34.41
6
31.43
Post
1
PAM - White
60
62.27 32.92
Pre
60
68.32
2
PAM - Repeated Measures Multivariate
Testsa
32.47
Post
1
Observe
Effect
Value F (1, 96) Sig.
d Powera
Time
Pillai's
.055 5.557b .020 .055 .646
Trace
Wilks'
.945 5.557b .020 .055 .646
Lambda
Time *
Race

Pillai's
Trace
Wilks'
Lambda

.000

.000b

.991 .000

.050

1.000

.000b

.991 .000

.050

A paired samples t-test was conducted to examine

the differences pre to post within each group of
fathers on the Parenting Alliance Measure (PAM).
Within Black fathers:
no statistically significant difference in the
scores of parental alliance
t (37) = -1.726, p = .093 (two-tailed).
The mean decrease in PAM was 6.105 with a
95% confidence interval ranging from -13.27 to
1.06.
Within White fathers:
no statistically significant difference in the
scores of parental alliance
t (59) = -1.761, p = .083 (two-tailed).
The mean decrease in PAM was 6.05 with a
95% confidence interval ranging from -12.93 to
.825.

We conducted
this study on fathers
DISCUSSION
because a considerable amount of research
focuses on the how maternal and
nonresident father stress affect child
outcomes. There is limited research
discussing how having children affects
parental alliance or family adjustment of
fathers.
In comparison to their White counterparts,
limited research also exists about how
relationship education is culturally tailored
to ethnic minority populations.
Our Results:
show that overall, participants reported
improved parental alliance and decreased
parental distress pre to post intervention.
Suggests that race is not necessarily a
predictor for how distressed or how
parentally allied the father is since there
was no statistically significant pre to post
score differences between Black and White
fathers in either measure.
Showed little difference in the scores of
either measure among black fathers, which
indicates that the intervention had
relatively the same impact on black fathers
distress and improving parental alliance
Suggests white fathers parental distress
decreased slightly more than black fathers
after completing the intervention.
Future Research:
Should have larger samples and compare
Black with White couples to see whether
race or maternal perceptions affect fathers
parenting alliance
and parental distress
REFERENCES
Rienks, S. L., Wadsworth, M. E., Markman, H.
J., Einhorn, L., & Etter, E. (2011). Father
involvement in urban low-income fathers:
Baseline associations and changes resulting
from preventive intervention. Family
Relations, 60(2), 191-204.
Cabrera, N., & Mitchell, S. (2009). An
exploratory study of fathers' parenting stress
and toddlers' social development in lowincome african american families. Fathering,
7(3), pp.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
201-225. doi: 10.3149/fth.0703.201
Dr. Andrew P. Daire
Dr. Lamerial Jacobson
Dr. Jenene Case-Pease
Sandy-Ann Griffith
Krystal Christopher