participation requirements |
If I sign up, what do I have to do? |
All participants will complete questionnaires about themselves and their relationship.
You need to come in together to a site on post for the first two sets of questionnaires, which will be given about three to four weeks apart. We will schedule times for you to come in to complete the questionnaires either in the morning, afternoon or evening. Unfortunately, we do not provide duty release time or childcare for the completion of the questionnaires. After that, over the next five years, you will complete questionnaires every six months. By logging on to our website with the confidential login and PIN that we provide, you will be able to complete these questionnaires online. In order to help you, we will contact you with reminders that it is time to log on to complete your questionnaires and provide you with login information if you need. If you do not have Internet access, we can mail the forms to you, along with postage-paid return envelopes. Because you can do the later questionnaires online, you do not have to be on base to complete them. You can live anywhere in the world. You can even be deployed overseas. You can continue to participate whether you remain in the Army or not, whether you move or not. Half of all participants will be randomly chosen to participate in a couples' workshop. Some couples will be assigned to participate in a couples' workshop, called Strong Bonds, led by Army Chaplains to teach skills and principles associated with a healthy marriage. This is not a religious program, but a relationship enhancement program. It is a 16 hour program that teaches couples how to communicate, handle conflict better, work together as a team, and work together to preserve and protect commitment and friendship. It's not therapy, but skills education. Participants do get to know each other, but you don't have to share very personal information about difficulties you or your partner may be having. Couples tend to enjoy the workshops a great deal. The workshop consists of one weekday on base, plus a weekend retreat off site. The weekend portion of the workshop begins on Friday evening and ends on Sunday and includes two free nights in a hotel. By being in the study, you are committing to participate in the workshop, if assigned. Your participation is dependent upon your availability to attend a couples' workshop. We are currently in the process of securing dates for our Strong Bonds marriage workshops. Until that time we can take your basic information and will contact you at a later date to complete formal enrollment. Once dates are scheduled for our Strong Bonds marriage workshops, we will contact you to see if we can find a date that you and your spouse might be able to attend. If we can find a date that works, formal enrollment can be completed. Once you are enrolled in the study, you will be randomly chosen to participate in the workshop or not. Randomly chosen means you have a 50/50 chance of being selected. After you and your spouse complete the first questionnaire a computer will randomly assign you to the workshop or not. If you and your spouse are selected to attend, your unit will then provide you with release from duty for both portions of the workshop--one duty day and a weekend retreat.
If you are interested in participating, please click here or call us at 270-484-1777. |
In this study, you and your spouse will complete confidential questionnaires about yourself and your relationship. You will be completing two sets of initial questionnaires and then a set of questionnaires every six months for five years. Each questionnaire packet should take you about 45 minutes to complete. (This is the average amount of time it takes, but the range of time required for completion is from about 30 minutes to 90 minutes. It depends a bit on your test taking style.) 
Thus, if you meet basic eligibility, your formal enrollment in the study is dependent upon finding a suitable Strong Bonds date that is acceptable to you, your spouse, and your military unit. Your actual participation in Strong Bonds will be determined by random selection so that all couples have a 50/50 chance of being selected.