THE HISPANIC FAMILIES OF THE SHM EVALUATION: STRUCTURE, PROCESS, AND STABILITY

Child Trends, Inc., Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

Federal initiatives like the Supporting Healthy Marriage (SHM) initiative do provide a wealth of information about the couples in these programs, the nature of their relationships, and the well-being of their children-for some of the most vulnerable populations. This is useful because dramatic changes in the structure of U.S. families have created challenges for programs serving low-income families. This is particularly the case for Hispanic populations, who don't always conform to assumptions about what families in need look like. Thus, the SHM data provide a unique opportunity to examine the marriages of low-income Hispanic families in depth, helping to identify what characteristics-programmatic and/or otherwise-are contributing to the health and stability of these families or not. The goal of this project is to develop a strong foundation of knowledge about low-income Hispanic couples through descriptive and exploratory research. Specifically, the study proposes to (1) Describe the levels of marital stability, marital quality, and risk of dissolution for married Hispanic couples in the SHM evaluation; (2) Identify the critical characteristics linked to marital stability, marital quality, and risk of dissolution among Hispanic couples, additionally determining whether any of these characteristics are mediated by relationship quality or change in quality; and (3) Identify which program participation characteristics-such as dosage or specific services/activities-are linked to marital stability, marital quality, or risk of dissolution among Hispanic couples who received treatment. Sample: 3,000 couples from the SHM Evaluation dataset in which both partners are Hispanic and at least one partner is Hispanic. Measures: Dependent Measures ? Marital stability ? Risk of dissolution ? Marital quality at 30 months Independent Measures ? Hispanic ? Preferred language ? Born in the U.S. Predictors of Marital Stability/Dissolution ? Structural Characteristics ? Socioeconomic Characteristics ? Social Support and Values ? Martial Quality Program Participation and Services ? Dosage of treatment ? Types of activities ? Participation in extended activities ? Contact with Family Support Coordinator ? Payments to the couple ? Referrals