Couple interventions and divorce and separation

Ending relationships is often associated with serious personal, social and financial consequences. This report contributes to a systematic review of studies of programme-based interventions aimed at cohabiting parents and couples with a view to preventing separation and divorce.
The purpose of this review is to elucidate whether validated programme-based interventions exist with proven effect in relation to preventing separation and divorce.
The systematic review shows that, for some of the couples programmes, there is evidence of positive effects with regard to directly or indirectly being able to prevent separation and divorce. The PREP, ECCT and EPL programmes are highlighted in this context, as these three programmes have been evaluated and documented best. An additional ten programmes were analysed in this review, but these only include very few studies that evaluate the programmes.