Coulter, Kimberley

Malouff, John M

2013

Applying the positive-psychology paradigm to romantic relationships, this study used a randomized control trial to evaluate the effects of a 4-week online intervention designed to increase romantic-relationship excitement. One hundred one couples were randomly assigned to either a 4-week online relationship excitement program ('n' = 50) or a waiting list control condition ('n' = 51). The intervention provided couples with ideas for exciting activities and encouraged them to participate in shared exciting activities for 90 min/wk. An intention-to-treat analysis of covariance showed that the exciting-activities couples had significantly higher levels of romantic-relationship excitement, positive affect, and relationship satisfaction at postintervention. A follow-up assessment of couples in the experimental condition showed that as a group they continued to have significantly higher scores at 4 months postintervention than at baseline. The findings, which are consistent with learning, broaden-and-build, and self-expansion theories, indicate that it is possible to increase relationship excitement with a brief inexpensive online intervention, and that increasing excitement produces enduring beneficial effects on couple positive affect and relationship satisfaction.

Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 2(1), p. 34-44

2160-410X

2160-4096

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/14155

en

American Psychological Association

Effects of an Intervention Designed to Enhance Romantic Relationship Excitement: A Randomized-Control Trial

Journal Article

Publication