Relationships, MaritalNCT07352670
5 Verbs for Couples - Pilot Study
A study testing 5 Verbs for Couples in people with Relationships, Marital, run by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Trial summary
The current research is designed to implement and evaluate 5 Verbs for Couples, a new relationship education program that can be completed individually or by both partners together. Involvement will entail completing 3 surveys over a 2-month period. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Relationships, Marital
- What is being tested?
- 5 Verbs for Couples
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 200 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 1 Apr 2026to Dec 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- A resident of United States
- 18 years of age or older
- Married, engaged, or living with your partner for at least 6 months
- Willing to participate in online relationship-focused programming
Who cannot join
- Severe form(s) of intimate partner violence are occurring in the relationship
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: 5 Verbs for Couples: Program Study
The current research is designed to implement and evaluate 5 Verbs for Couples, a new relationship education program that can be completed individually or by both partners together. Involvement will entail completing 3 surveys over a 2-month period. After completing the first survey, a subset of individuals will be randomly assigned to participate in a 3-session online program and answer questions about their experience in the program. The remaining individuals will receive access to the program approximately 2 months later, after completing the third survey.
- Conditions
- Relationships, Marital
- Being tested
- 5 Verbs for Couples
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
5 Verbs for CouplesBehavioural
The program consists of an overview and three accompanying sessions, each approximately 30-45 minutes in length. The new program developed by the project PI is organized around five verbs to help strengthen couple relationship. For each of the three sessions, content includes information on increasing gratitude between partners, building friendship and connection, addressing challenges and hardships, being a team, communication, and dedication. This psychoeducational program is largely informative in nature, with recommended thought and/or written exercises for individuals to complete regarding how program material applies to their relationship. Individuals are provided a link to access the program and then watch/click through session activities at a time and location of their choosing (similar to an online self-directed training or course).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment | Experimental | 5 verbs for couples participants Receives: Behavioral: 5 Verbs for Couples |
| Control | No intervention | No intervention. Waitlist control group |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Relationship Satisfaction
Couple satisfaction index
Measured: Baseline, 1 month follow-up, 2-month follow-up
Change in intervention-targeted behavior
5 Verbs for Couples cognitive-behavioral indicators (new measure created for this study)
Measured: Baseline, 1-month follow-up, 2-month follow-up
Secondary outcomes (1)
Change in psychological distress
Kessler 6 item psychological distress
Measured: Baseline, 1-month, 2-month follow-up
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 Jan 2026
- Study start1 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Relationships, MaritalStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Allen Barton, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07352670
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 23761
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Jan 2026
- Last updated
- 20 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 20 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- 5 Verbs for Couples: Program Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07352670
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 23761
- Conditions
- Relationships, Marital
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 20 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The current research is designed to implement and evaluate 5 Verbs for Couples, a new relationship education program that can be completed individually or by both partners together. Involvement will entail completing 3 surveys over a 2-month period. After completing the first survey, a subset of individuals will be randomly assigned to participate in a 3-session online program and answer questions about their experience in the program. The remaining individuals will receive access to the program approximately 2 months later, after completing the third survey.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment | Experimental | Behavioral: 5 Verbs for Couples5 verbs for couples participants |
| Control | No intervention | –No intervention. Waitlist control group |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- A resident of United States
- 18 years of age or older
- Married, engaged, or living with your partner for at least 6 months
- Willing to participate in online relationship-focused programming
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Severe form(s) of intimate partner violence are occurring in the relationship
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Verbs for CouplesThe program consists of an overview and three accompanying sessions, each approximately 30-45 minutes in length. The new program developed by the project PI is organized around five verbs to help strengthen couple relationship. For each of the three sessions, content includes information on increasing gratitude between partners, building friendship and connection, addressing challenges and hardships, being a team, communication, and dedication. This psychoeducational program is largely informative in nature, with recommended thought and/or written exercises for individuals to complete regarding how program material applies to their relationship. Individuals are provided a link to access the program and then watch/click through session activities at a time and location of their choosing (similar to an online self-directed training or course). | Behavioural | Treatment |
Primary outcome
Change in Relationship Satisfaction
Time frame: Baseline, 1 month follow-up, 2-month follow-up
Couple satisfaction index
Change in intervention-targeted behavior
Time frame: Baseline, 1-month follow-up, 2-month follow-up
5 Verbs for Couples cognitive-behavioral indicators (new measure created for this study)
1 secondary outcome
Change in psychological distress
Time frame: Baseline, 1-month, 2-month follow-up
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 20 Jan 2026.
- Related InfoLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing 5 Verbs for Couples in people with Relationships, Marital, run by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Allen Bartno (217-244-2009, awbarton@illinois.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Relationship Satisfaction (time frame: Baseline, 1 month follow-up, 2-month follow-up). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 Jan 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 28 Oct 2026.