Curriculum Review: Relationship Smarts Plus 4.0

Abstract

The Relationship Smarts Plus curriculum contains 13 lessons regarding identity, principles of healthy dating, and communication skills. Lessons also include warning signs of abusive relationship and address the issue of intimate partner violence. At its core, the curriculum is built to teach youth how to realistically assess their real and potential dating relationships before making commitments or engaging in behaviors that may lead to unintentional commitments. This is a useful curriculum for educators seeking to engage a teen audience with research-informed activities in an area where teens have few sources of reputable information.

Full text

New articles in this journal are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
This journal is published by the University Library System, University of Pittsburgh and is cosponsored by
the University of Pittsburgh Press. The Journal of Youth Development is the official peer-reviewed
publication of the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents and the National AfterSchool Association.
196
http://jyd. pitt. edu/ | Vol. 13 Issue 4 DOI 10.5195/jyd.2018.618
| ISSN 2325-4017 (online)
Curriculum Review: Relationship Smarts Plus 4.0
Alexander E. Chan
University of Maryland
alexchan@umd.edu
Abstract
The
Relationship Smarts Plus
curriculum contains 13 lessons regarding identity, principles of healthy
dating, and communication skills. Lessons also include warning signs of abusive relationship and address
the issue of intimate partner violence. At its core, the curriculum is built to teach youth how to
realistically assess their real and potential dating relationships before making commitments or engaging
in behaviors that may lead to unintentional commitments. This is a useful curriculum for educators
seeking to engage a teen audience with research-informed activities in an area where teens have few
sources of reputable information.
Key words: teens, relationships, dating
Youth Relationship Education
Youth development programs are obligated to ensure that their program offerings are in line
with developmental needs of their audiences. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture
(2015) suggests that 4-H Healthy Living programming should “provide developmentally
appropriate learning opportunities that promote physical, social, and emotional well-being.”
Comprehensive studies of these programs suggest that as a whole, participants experience
meaningful learning outcomes (Lerner et al., 2005; Lerner, von Eye, Lerner, & Lewin-Bizan,
2009). However, attracting and retaining teen members remains a challenge for 4-H programs
(Hamilton, Northern, & Neff, 2014; Harder, Lamm, Lamm, Rose, & Lask, 2005). A promising
avenue for attracting teen audiences is through the implementation of youth relationship
education (YRE) programs.

Journal of Youth Development | http://jyd.pitt.edu/ | Vol. 13 Issue 4 DOI 10.5195/jyd.2018.618
RelationshipSmartsPlus
197
YRE programs are designed to equip youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to make
better choices about dating and romantic relationships. This is a developmentally appropriate
task, as 70% of youth report having had a romantic relationship by age 18 (Carver, Joyner, &
Udry, 2003; Giordano, Manning, & Longmore, 2010). Romantic relationships are also an
important part of identity development, another prominent task of adolescence (Montgomery,
2005). However, there is often an absence of easily accessed, credible sources of information
about relationships, leaving youth to consume this information from unreliable sources on the
internet or television.
Relationships Smarts Plus Curriculum
One YRE curriculum that has an extensive and ongoing research base (Adler-Baeder,
Kerpelman, Schramm, Higginbotham, & Paulk, 2007; Kerpelman, Pittman, Adler-Baeder, Eryigit,
& Paulk, 2009; McElwain, McGill, & Savasuk-Luxton, 2017) is the
Relationship Smarts Plus
curriculum (Pearson, 2013). The curriculum contains 13 lessons regarding identity, principles of
healthy relationships, warning signs of abusive relationships, communication skills (both in-
person and via social media), and sexual decision-making. The sexual decision-making material
also covers the influence of substance use on the risk of contracting sexually transmitted
infections.
Two initial lessons focus on building participants’ awareness of their own strengths and
weaknesses, as well as their goals for the future. Participants learn that romantic relationships
can have a strong influence on their identity development, health, and even academic
achievement (Giordano, Phelps, Manning, & Longmore, 2008; Joyner & Udry, 2000). Therefore,
it is important to be aware of and nurture personal goals, independent of relationship
involvement.
The majority of lessons highlight specific qualities of healthy relationships and how to develop
these qualities with a partner. At its core, the curriculum is built to teach youth how to
realistically assess their real and potential relationships before making commitments or
engaging in behaviors that may lead to unintentional commitments (e.g., unplanned
pregnancies). The lessons follow a temporal arc of relationship development, beginning with
deciphering initial infatuation from love, followed by an examination of deeper issues such as
effective conflict management and communication strategies. The influence of social media on
dating receives an entire lesson of its own. One theme that appears throughout the curriculum
is that of “decide, don’t slide” into romantic relationships.

Journal of Youth Development | http://jyd.pitt.edu/ | Vol. 13 Issue 4 DOI 10.5195/jyd.2018.618
RelationshipSmartsPlus
198
This curriculum also addresses the issue of intimate partner violence. Teens are taught to
recognize “red flags” of abusive relationships that may indicate a need to exit the relationship.
For example, some content covers strategies on how to manage external pressure to cross a
teen’s pre-established sexual boundaries. Teens are also taught to distinguish clearly abusive
situations from more ambiguous situations (e.g., isolated incidents of yelling during arguments)
that may require further exploration before deeming the relationship abusive.
Considerations for Youth Work Professionals
The curriculum’s design fits well with youth development programs such as 4-H that emphasize
experiential learning. Each lesson contains both activity- and discussion-based elements. For
example, the lesson regarding abusive relationships involves a game where participants race to
pick up red and white flags off a table after hearing the instructor read a situation out loud. This
comes early in the lesson, keeping true to the experiential
do-reflect-apply
process.
A limitation of this curriculum’s use is the time required for training and preparation of
facilitators. The lessons are scripted and provide plenty of background information. However,
the discussion of romance with adolescent audiences is variable and can introduce unexpected
elements into the program (e.g., challenging the sources of information, presenting contrary
examples or stories, disclosing painful experiences). Program fidelity may be adversely affected
if facilitators supply extracurricular information in response to unexpected participant questions.
To avoid this liability, it is necessary for facilitators to rehearse and practice with a pilot
audience comprised of volunteer youth or adults willing to take on the role of difficult youth (for
a sample training model, see McElwain, et al., 2016). Supervision of new facilitators as they
begin program implementation is also recommended.
Despite the training and supervision requirements, this curriculum presents vital information to
an audience facing a dearth of reputable sources of information regarding romantic relationship
development. Romantic relationships are a significant part of adolescent development and
contribute to future relationship functioning (Furman & Schaffer, 2003). It is well within the
scope of youth development programs to offer this curriculum to teen participants.
Relationship
Smarts
has been matched to national educational standards in health and family and consumer
sciences, presenting an excellent opportunity for school enrichment as a mode of delivery.

Journal of Youth Development | http://jyd.pitt.edu/ | Vol. 13 Issue 4 DOI 10.5195/jyd.2018.618
RelationshipSmartsPlus
199
Ordering Information
The
Relationship Smarts Plus
curriculum is available in printed or online formats. The printed
format costs $399. The online format costs $199 for a 1-year subscription or $399 for a 3-year
subscription. To learn more about
Relationships Smarts Plus 4.0
and to order the curriculum,
visit https://digital.dibbleinstitute.org/RQPLUS.
References
Adler‐Baeder, F., Kerpelman, J. L., Schramm, D. G., Higginbotham, B., & Paulk, A. (2007). The impact of
relationship education on adolescents of diverse backgrounds.
Family Relations
,
56
(3), 291-303.
doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2007.00460.x
Carver, K., Joyner, K., & Udry, J. R. (2003). National estimates of adolescent romantic relationships. In P.
Florsheim (Ed.),
Adolescent romantic relations and sexual behavior: Theory, research, and
practical implications
(pp. 23-56). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Furman, W., & Shaffer, L. (2003). The role of romantic relationships in adolescent development. In P.
Florsheim (Ed.),
Adolescent romantic relations and sexual behavior: Theory, research, and
practical implications
(pp. 3–22). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Giordano, P. C., Manning, W. D., & Longmore, M. A. (2010). Affairs of the heart: Qualities of adolescent
romantic relationships and sexual behavior.
Journal of Research on Adolescence
,
20
(4), 983-
1013. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00661.x
Giordano, P. C., Phelps, K. D., Manning, W. D., & Longmore, M. A. (2008). Adolescent academic
achievement and romantic relationships.
Social Science Research
,
37
(1), 37-54.
doi:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2007.06.004
Hamilton, S. F., Northern, A., & Neff, R. (2014). Strengthening 4-H by analyzing enrollmentdata.
Journal
of Extension
,
52(3),
Article 3FEA7. Retrieved from https://www.joe.org/joe/2014june/a7.php
Harder, A., Lamm, A., Lamm, D., Rose, H., & Lask, G. (2005). An in-depth look at 4-H Enrollment and
Retention.
Journal of Extension , 43
(5), Article 5RIB4. Retrieved from
https://www.joe.org/joe/2005october/rb4.php
Joyner, K., & Udry, J. R. (2000). You don't bring me anything but down: Adolescent romance and
depression.
Journal of Health and Social Behavior
,
41
(4)
,
369-391. doi:10.2307/2676292
Kerpelman, J. L., Pittman, J. F., Adler-Baeder, F., Eryigit, S., & Paulk, A. (2009). Evaluation of a statewide
youth-focused relationships education curriculum.
Journal of Adolescence
,
32
(6), 1359-1370.
doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2009.04.006
Lerner, R. M., Lerner, J. V., Almerigi, J. B., Theokas, C., Phelps, E., Gestsdottir, S., … von Eye, (2005).
Positive youth development, participation in community youth development programs, and

Journal of Youth Development | http://jyd.pitt.edu/ | Vol. 13 Issue 4 DOI 10.5195/jyd.2018.618
RelationshipSmartsPlus
200
community contributions of fifth-grade adolescents: Findings from the first wave of the 4-H Study
of Positive Youth Development.
Journal of Early Adolescence, 25
(1)
,
17-71.
doi:10.1177/0272431604272461
Lerner, R. M., von Eye, A., Lerner, J. V., & Lewin-Bizan, S. (2009). Exploring the foundations and
functions of adolescent thriving within the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development: A view of
the issues.
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 30
(5)
,
567-570.
doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2009.07.002
McElwain, A., Finnegan, V., Whittaker, A., Kerpelman, J., Adler-Baeder, F., & Duke, A. (2016). Evaluation
and lessons learned from an undergraduate service learning course providing youth-focused
relationship education.
Evaluation and Program Planning
,
58
, 116-124.
doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.06.002
McElwain, A., McGill, J., & Savasuk-Luxton, R. (2017). Youth relationship education: A meta-
analysis.
Children and Youth Services Review
,
82
, 499-507. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.09.036
Montgomery, M. J. (2005). Psychosocial intimacy and identity: From early adolescence toemerging
adulthood.
Journal of Adolescent Research
,
20
(3), 346-374. doi:10.1177/0743558404273118
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (2015).
4-H healthy living.
Retrieved from
https://nifa.usda.gov/program/4-h-healthy-living
Pearson, M. (2013).
LoveU2: Relationship smarts PLUS
. Berkeley, CA: The Dibble Institute.
