UGA ELEVATE Program Eases Stress for Parents of Disabled Kids
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- University of Georgia's ELEVATE program is a no-cost relationship education program hosted by UGA Cooperative Extension through the Elevate Couples Georgia initiative, targeting couples navigating relationship challenges.
- Researchers followed 127 couples raising children with disabilities and 493 couples without from 2015 to 2020 during the program, publishing findings in the journal Child & Family Social Work.
- Couples caring for children with disabilities entered the program reporting higher stress than their peers, with women especially feeling more stressed, less confident in the relationship, and unsupported as co-parents.
- After completing the program, all couples reported lower stress and improved co-parenting support — but couples raising children with disabilities experienced the larger drop, with positive changes still evident six months later.
- Ted Futris, corresponding author and director of UGA's CARE Lab, said relationships are challenged most under stress: "Practicing those relationship skills and learning some new ones can help during those times of stress."
- Futris drew a direct line from couple dynamics to child outcomes: "There's a direct link from how couples are doing to how they parent to how their kids are doing."
- Beyond the program, Elevate Couples Georgia's Facebook and Instagram accounts post ongoing relationship tips, and the researchers recommend regular check-ins, showing appreciation, and practicing mindfulness to manage stress.
Why it matters: The 127 couples raising children with disabilities entered the program more stressed and with weaker co-parenting support, yet saw the largest post-program improvements — offering a free, evidence-based tool for a population with few targeted supports, with researchers linking couple teamwork directly to child well-being.
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