The Effectiveness of Premarital Counseling Based on a Relationship Education Program on the Idealistic Expectations of Single Young Adults

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of premarital counseling based on a relationship education program in reducing the idealistic marital expectation in single young adults of Ahvaz city. Material & Methods: The is a quasi-experimental study with pretest, posttest, and follow-up design using control group. Thirty two single young adults were voluntarily participated and assigned randomly into intervention group (n=16) and control group (n=16). The data were collected using Jones and Nelson's Marital Expectation Scale  (idealistic expectation subscale) at three stages: pre-test, post-test, and 60-day follow-up. The intervention group received relationship education program in 9 sessions, twice a week for 90 minutes, while the control group received premarital counseling only in one session. Data were analyzed using ANOVA with repeated measures in SPSS v.21. Results: The premarital counseling based on the relationship education program could reduce the idealistic marital expectation in the intervention group from pretest stage to the follow-up stage. Conclusion: The relationship education program can be used as a useful and appropriate program in premarital counseling and in reducing the idealistic expectations of marriage in young people.