This paper reviews the research on relationship education and relationship counselling. The paper investigates the effectiveness of these strategies in working with couples who are at varying stages of their relationship - from highly satisfied at the beginning of their relationship, to highly distressed and considering separation.

Contractual design encourages stakeholders to defend their own individual interest to the likely detriment of project objectives. These failings are not disputed, however, given that trust is a fundamental requirement for human interaction the influence of trust is potentially important in terms of stakeholder relationships and ultimate project success.

Reforms introduced in 2009 to the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) have meant that most same-sex and opposite-sex de facto couples (in all states and territories except Western Australia) who end their relationships can now have their property and financial matters dealt with in substantially the same way as married people.

This paper reviews recent research findings into couples in long-term relationships (married and de facto) that provide insight into the couple relationship over time.

This article updates trends in couple dissolution that formed the basis of an article that was published in the second edition of Family Relationships Quarterly, and includes additional information concerning the duration of marriages and differences in rates of relationship dissolution for marriages and cohabiting unions.