Given the high rate of divorce in the U.S., the alleviation of marital distress and the prevention of marital and family breakdown is a priority for clinicians and researchers. This study evaluated the long-term effectiveness of the Practical Application of Intimate Relationship Skills (PAIRS) program for enhancing marital relationships. Married program participants (N=137) from 5 different PAIRS classes throughout the U.S. volunteered to be evaluated pre-PAIRS, post-PAIRS, and 6 to 8 months after PAIRS. Participants tended to be more distressed, higher in conflict and unhappiness, and lower in marital satisfaction than the general population. The design utilized quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, and included operational measures, marital adjustment (Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Test), marital satisfaction (Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale), conflict/unhappiness (Beier-Sternberg Scale), and client satisfaction (Client Satisfaction Questionnaire). Also included were open-ended questionnaires that explored clients’ experiences with the program, and incorporated their evaluation of its impact. This study also explored gender differences. The findings suggest that for most participants in this sample, there were enduring significant effects resulting from PAIRS which included improved marital adjustment, marital satisfaction, and reduction of conflict and unhappiness as well as other relationship changes. Distressed couples made significant improvements in conflict reduction. (Author abstract)