Overview

In reviewing the literature related to education for family life, the paper focuses on three main areas: the need for such education, trends in the development of family education programs, and the results of evaluations of a wide range of programs. The author notes that marked changes have taken place over the last 15 years. The growth of family systems theory, research into the characteristics of healthy or coping families, and the development of experimental education have all influenced the development of such programs. Almost 60 published evaluations of family life education programs were found. Almost all showed positive gains. The author finds that there are strong indications that couples and families can improve their patterns of interaction and increase their satisfaction with family life through relatively brief and simple interventions. The paper gives some clues to the relative effectiveness of different approaches, proposes some guidelines for the further development of programs, and indicates areas needing further research.