Effectiveness of Premarital Education Programs on Communication Skills on a Sample of Newly Married Couples in Sharjah

Abstract

Marriage is an institution where spouses work for its success. The purpose of premarital education programs is to provide purposeful knowledge for newly getting married couples on their behaviors, attitudes and roles in relationship, as well as influencing it positively. Premarital education has been a preventative approach recently used to lessen marital dissatisfaction and help couples succeed with their relation and lead stability. Premarital education consists of a base of knowledge on understanding psychology of men and women, purpose of marriage, marriage required skills and sexual health (Bostani Khalesi, & Simbar, 2017). Premarital education is a method to enhance and establish healthy and stable relationships to provide couples strong basic knowledge that can support them in prevention of divorce (Kepler, 2015).

Communication skills of newly getting married couples are studied in this research, being essential for establishing and maintaining strong marriage relationships. Premarriage consultation and education help couples in improvement of relationships when the couples share their expectations from each other, learn together problem-solving skills, beware of compatibility and differences, and knowing themselves and knowing their partners to be (Shah Hosseini et al, 2014). Educators, scholars and policy makers around the world have focused their work with communities recently to help in relief of marital distress and reduce numbers of divorce rates that are rising. A survey done on 5 couples who attended a premarriage education program in UAE Sharjah was conducted, indicating recommendations for future research.