The effect of Olson’s relationship enrichment strategy on marital adjustment and quality of life in families affected by addiction

This study examined the effectiveness of Olson-style relationship enrichment training on marital compatibility and couples' quality of life, with particular relevance for families affected by substance use. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group was employed. The sample consisted of 16 couples (32 individuals) who were purposively recruited from couples active on virtual platforms and randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. The experimental group participated in seven structured online enrichment sessions based on Olson's model, while the control group received no intervention. Marital compatibility and quality of life were assessed using the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire. Results indicated that couples who received the enrichment training demonstrated significantly higher levels of marital compatibility and quality of life compared to the control group. The findings suggest that Olson-style relationship enrichment training is an effective counseling approach for enhancing marital functioning and overall quality of life, particularly in contexts where relational stress is compounded by substance use, by fostering sustainable relational skills.