I’m delighted to support this project, which will provide much-needed evidence and resources for people so they can build strong relationships. I have seen first-hand the tragedy of family separation, and I have often observed that divorce might be avoided if people, before they make a life-long commitment to each other, asked themselves more searching questions about how suitable or compatible they are. Of course big change and life events also put strain on relationships and knowing more about what builds resilience in relationships is vital.
Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia, LVO (Law 1977)
This project will allow us to share that information with a new generation who will one day have families of their own, so they can make good choices.
Dr Jan Ewing, Shackleton Research Fellow
Understanding the science behind relationships
The Shackleton Relationships project is an innovative collaboration between researchers at the University of Exeter Law School and the Medical School led by Professor Anne Barlow, Professor of Family Law and Policy, and supported by alumna Baroness Fiona Shackleton (Law 1977).
The project explores why relationships succeed or fail, and considers what type of relationship educational tools might help young people to build stronger relationship skills and avoid bad relationship choices now and in the future.
The project team includes Dr Astrid Janssens, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Exeter Medical School, and Dr Jan Ewing, a research fellow at the University of Exeter Law School. The study will build upon existing research by Dr Ewing, who previously interviewed 52 couples three times during the first four years of marriage to examine what drives thriving relationships and what leads to the erosion of marital satisfaction in the first few years after a wedding. She found having a strong friendship, dealing early and effectively with conflict, good communication and the ability to see the best in your partner were key. Dr Ewing will now revisit these couples after 10 years of marriage to see whether this holds true in the longer term.
Funding is also helping to support a one year Masters by Research Studentship. Sharon Blake, Associate Research Fellow has been supporting the project through literature reviews, interviewing divorce practitioners and long-term couples, as well as undertaking analysis of the team’s research findings. The team hope to use their research findings in a practical and meaningful way to inform the development of resources for young people, by way of a short video and app which could form part of the school curriculum, enabling the findings to reach as wide an audience as possible.
The Shackleton Project began in September 2016 and will run for 18 months.
IMAGE: (Left to right) Professor Anne Barlow, Professor of Family Law and Policy, Sharon Blake, Shackleton Scholar and Dr Astrid Janssens, Senior Research Fellow