Enhancing Relationship Functioning and Relationship Deployment Readiness: Dyadic Changes Through the Adventures in Marriage (AIM) Program Among Military Couples

Military couples face unique relational challenges, including deployments, relocations, and extended separations, which can negatively impact relationship well-being. The Adventures in Marriage (AIM) program aims to enhance relationship functioning by focusing on couple interactions through a structured, skills-based curriculum in a time-efficient and accessible format that addresses the challenges faced by military couples. The purpose of the current study was to examine military couples' relationship functioning and relationship deployment readiness after attending the AIM program. A total of 302 different-sex military couples completed pre- and post-program surveys. Using Latent Change Score Modeling (LCSM), the results indicated significant increases in both wives' and husbands' relationship functioning and relationship deployment readiness following participation in the AIM program. Improvements in relationship functioning were associated with improvements in relationship deployment readiness at both individual and dyadic levels. The implications underscore the importance of integrating programs like AIM into military family services.