Hosted by writer Emma Atkinson, RadioEd is a triweekly podcast created by the DU Newsroom that taps into the University of Denver’s deep pool of bright brains to explore the most compelling and interesting research coming out of DU. See below for a transcript of this episode.

Several studies have found that couples who live together before marriage are more likely to get divorced. But do the numbers tell the whole story?

In this special Valentine's Day episode of RadioEd, Emma speaks with psychologist and University of Denver research professor Scott Stanley about why cohabitating before you say "I do" doesn't necessarily mean your relationship won't last. As he reveals, it's all about commitment, communication and clarity.

Scott Stanley, Ph.D., is a research professor and co-director of the Center for Marital and Family Studies at the University of Denver. He has published widely with research interests including commitment, cohabitation, communication, conflict, risk factors for divorce, the prevention of marital distress, and couple development before marriage. Along with Dr. Howard Markman and colleagues, he has been involved in the research, development, and refinement of the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP) for over 30 years. Among various projects, Stanley and colleagues (Elizabeth Allen, Howard Markman, & Galena Rhoades) are conducting a large, randomized trial of a variant of PREP in the U. S. Army, funded by NICHD.