Talk Before Tying the Knot

Best man, maid of honor and marital counselor?

Recent research has found couples who participate in premarital
education have stronger marriages than those who get hitched without such
preparation.

Researchers at Brigham Young University in Utah (BYU) and the
University of Minnesota analyzed 23 studies conducted over the past 30
years to examine the effectiveness of premarital counseling programs.
They found that couples who received counseling scored 30 percent higher
on tests that rated their level of communication and overall satisfaction
with their spouses.

"No one thinks it's weird that you have to get driver's training to
drive," says Jason S. Carroll, Ph.D., assistant professor of marriage,
family and human development at BYU and lead author of the study. "Yet,
for whatever reason, we don't see marriage, relationships and parenting
as areas we need to learn about."

Premarital education often includes teaching couples about conflict
resolution, marital roles, sexuality and financial management.