Our research team is dedicated to two aims:

1. Conducting scientific research that advances our understanding of how marriages and families form, develop, change, improve, and deteriorate.

2. Using this knowledge to develop, test, and disseminate educational programs that will strengthen marriages and families.

Strong social relationships are essential for the well-being of adults and children. Poor social relationships have harmful effects on our physical and emotional health, and they contribute to poor performance at school and at work.

The UCLA Marriage and Family Development Laboratory is dedicated to clarifying the factors that determine whether a marriage is a source of satisfaction versus a source of stress. By doing so we seek to develop educational programs that will provide couples and families with the skills and resources they need to have strong, enduring, and fulfilling relationships.