Research

Research points to the long-term benefits of intact families to children. However, fewer children than ever before are being raised by their married biological parents. Family Expectations (FE), launched in 2005, provides innovative solutions to the many complex needs of married and unmarried new and expectant parents. Family Expectations was selected to take part in two federal research studies: Building Strong Families (BSF) and Supporting Healthy Marriage (SHM). The program received accolades as the only BSF site to show a consistent pattern of positive impacts in the most recent 15-month impact study report.

In addition to helping hundreds of Oklahoma families overcome significant challenges, FE has and will continue to impact national human services policy through the strength of the findings from the national impact study. The continued improvement and expansion of the FE program offers public policy leaders fresh encouragement that low-income families can be substantially aided in achieving their aspirations for stability and happiness.

Building Strong Families Study Findings

Family Expectations is one of eight sites nationwide participating in the large-scale national evaluation of Building Strong Families, a federally funded study of programs for unmarried families. The program model is designed to improve family outcomes and child well-being for unmarried parents in couple relationships. Couples discover how to work cooperatively to build a safe and stable home for their new babies and learn core skills such as respectful communication, problem solving, infant cues and responsible parenting.

Browse the topics below for a full description of the research findings, feedback from relationship experts in the field and strategies that led to the successful outcomes for the Family Expectations program.

• FE Impact Findings Summary
• Executive Summary
• Full Report
• Comments on findings from Scott Stanley, expert in the field
• Comments on Findings from the Family Expectations Director of Center-Based Services
• Family Expectations Curricula Backgrounder
• Watch Video Clips from the Press Conference

Additional Research Reports & Resources

• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study: Bridging the gap between childhood trauma and negative consequences later in life.
• The Health and Social Impact of Growing Up With Adverse Childhood Experiences
• Supporting Healthy Marriages
• Father Absence on the Decline
• The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study
• National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG)
• Healthy Marriage Resource Center
• Mathematica Policy Research
• National Center for Family and Marriage Research
• The National Council on Family Relations

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Funding for this project was provided by the United States Department of Health and Humans Services, Administration for Children and Families, Grant: 90FM0026. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.