What happens when the inherent optimism of relationship education collides with pervasive pessimism that seems baked into the current cultural zeitgeist and personal doubts about marriage?

Young adults today are less optimistic than in the past. They absorb pessimism from both the populist right and woke left. On the other hand, Maggie Gallagher, claims: “Optimism is America’s birthright.” And she argues that the relationship education movement stems from this sense of traditional American optimism and relies on it to produce positive outcomes.

Come share your experiences and thoughts on this contemporary challenge to the optimism-centered work of relationship education.

This workshop explores the critical role of trusted adult relationships in shaping teenagers' views on healthy connections. Research shows parent-child conflict ends in children acquiescing to their parents in 70% of cases (Smetana, 2005). Participants will engage in activities to identify barriers affecting parent-teen connection and gain insights into adolescent development across physical, intellectual, emotional, and social milestones. Emphasizing the importance of building intimacy and trust, the workshop will challenge narratives of adults not understanding teens, highlighting effective parenting strategies that promote warmth and acceptance. Deep active listening and curiosity will be underscored as essential communication tools. This workshop will empower adults to foster healthier relationships, setting the stage for teenagers’ future romantic and familial connections.

Students bring a variety of experiences and circumstances into the classroom. As educators, we must help students integrate new information into their current circumstances and values. This workshop will equip educators with tools to help students integrate relationship education with their personal values and experiences through a trauma-informed, intersectional approach. Participants will learn to create a safe, engaging space that encourages critical thinking, authentic discussion, and informed decision-making. Through activities and mindset analysis, this workshop will empower educators to foster an inclusive environment where students can confidently explore and define their own healthy relationship choices.

The people who will become your champions probably already know who you are—you’ve just gotta find and disciple them. Learn a field-tested, four-step process to grow your own leaders right at home.

We are more connected than ever before in history, and yet we are lonelier. In our fast paced, tech savvy world full of fairy tale promises and instant connections, we’ve lost our understanding of love. There are more divorces, less marriages, more single parent homes, and more depression today than years past.

We are missing the mark on the very thing we were created for: connection and intimacy.

In this Roundtable, we’ll discuss the science of love and attachment theory. Participants will consider their own internalized messages absorbed from family and culture, and how these scripts – along with attachment style – impact their intimate adult relationships.

Family and couple relationships have a profound impact on emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Protective factors, such as connections with others can help to create a buffer for families and individuals, protecting them from harm while increasing the chances they adapt positively to adversities. Explore how to enhance personal well-being, strengthen yourself and your community through free couple, individual, and family resources—Hidden Gem Adventure Guides. These guides serve as a beneficial tool for increasing protective factors by providing connectedness, thus promoting resiliency and positive well-being among couples, youth, and families.

In a 2023 survey of Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood grant program staff, 44% expressed a concern around staff turnover within their organization. Creating and maintaining a positive work environment is essential for employee well-being, productivity, retention, and job satisfaction, ultimately leading to better outcomes for program participants. When employees feel valued and appreciated, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated in work and home settings. This poster, Promoting Workplace Positivity to Improve Staff Retention and Organizational Culture in Relationship Education Programs, presents strategies that relationship education programs can use to promote workplace positivity within their workspace.

This poster presents results from a descriptive study of participants in ten federally funded healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood programs across the country. The research first explores how program participation rates are associated with workshop delivery choices, such as time of day, number of workshop hours, or virtual vs. in-person format. The research further examines the association between participant-level outcomes and delivery method to see if adults who participate in person see greater improvements in attitude outcomes, as compared to those who attend workshops virtually. These findings can help practitioners make informed choices in designing their programming.