Relationship Skills Workshops in University Residence Halls: A Preventive Intervention.

This paper describes the design, implementation and evaluation of a preventive .i.ntervention within a university residence hall community. The ineeIvention focuied on development of interpersonal competence in roommate relationships through relationship skills training in a Aructured group setting. The intervention was designed to have maxinum impact on the community social network. Groups were held in the residence halls for students living within close proximity to each othet and were led by.resident assistants from within the canmunity. Pre, post and follow-up assessment of personal adjustment, communication competence, communication between roommates, quality of roommate relationships and perceptions of the residence 4. halls' social environment were collected on 79.experimental and 136 bntrol subjects. The'level of communication between roommates was found t be significantly related to adjustment, compete^nce, relationship quality and perceptions of the social environment at each assessment. Workshop partici-c pation significantly improved communication between roommates. Findings 0 t suggest relationship skills workshops within a residential community may 1 facilitate students' adjustment in college and their development of inter4 4. personal competence critical in future relationships. ,