MARRIAGE AND FAMILY FORMATION MARRIAGE AND FAMILY FORMATION IN FOUR STATE SURVEYSIN FOUR STATE SURVEYS

M. Robin DionM. Robin DionHeather HeskethHeather Hesketh

Courtney HarrisonCourtney Harrison

Presentation for National Governor’s AssociationPresentation for National Governor’s AssociationCenter for Best PracticesCenter for Best Practices

July 22, 2004 July 22, 2004

Marital Status of Parents

6268

82

2016

98 6 4

11 94

39 3943

0

20

40

60

80

100

Florida Oklahoma Utah

Married Divorced/Separated

Never Married Widowed

Unmarried Romantic Relationships

24

45 43

3227

17

40

22

37

4 63

40

47

55

0

20

40

60

80

100

Florida Oklahoma Utah

Statewide Government Assistance

Majority Believe that Parents Should Be Married

Majority of all samples value and aspire to Majority of all samples value and aspire to marriage, low-income or notmarriage, low-income or not

Across states, 1/3 to 1/2 believe cohabitation Across states, 1/3 to 1/2 believe cohabitation is acceptableis acceptable

2/3 in each state say that people who have 2/3 in each state say that people who have children together ought to be marriedchildren together ought to be married

– In 2 states, fewer people receiving In 2 states, fewer people receiving government assistance endorse this beliefgovernment assistance endorse this belief

Relationship Interaction is Crucial to Quality and Stability

StatewideStatewideGovernment Government AssistanceAssistance

Percent Strongly Agree/AgreePercent Strongly Agree/Agree FLFL OKOK UTUT FLFL OKOK UTUT

My relationship with my My relationship with my spouse/partner is more important spouse/partner is more important to me than almost anything elseto me than almost anything else

8383 8989 9191 7171 7777 4646

I may not want to be with my I may not want to be with my spouse/partner a few years from nowspouse/partner a few years from now 1010 88 88 1212 1212 1616

My partner frequently insults or My partner frequently insults or criticizes mecriticizes me 66 55 22 88 1212 1010

My partner withdraws during My partner withdraws during argumentsarguments 1616 1717 1515 2424 2727 2626

Mean number of weeks since Mean number of weeks since date/evening outdate/evening out ---- 1010 44 ---- 2020 1313

Never-Married Low-Income New Parents Aspire to Marriage, But Struggle

69% of romantically involved mothers and 81% 69% of romantically involved mothers and 81% of fathers want to marry their partnersof fathers want to marry their partners

Many committed but unmarried relationships Many committed but unmarried relationships deteriorate rapidly after birth of a childdeteriorate rapidly after birth of a child

Top reasons for ending relationshipsTop reasons for ending relationships

– Infidelity (“cheating”) - 56%Infidelity (“cheating”) - 56%– Not getting along - 30%Not getting along - 30%– Money problems - 12%Money problems - 12%

– Data from Louisiana Fragile Families SurveyData from Louisiana Fragile Families Survey

Widespread Interest in Marriage/Relationship Education

Statewide Statewide SamplesSamples

Government Government AssistanceAssistance

PercentPercent FLFL OKOK UTUT FLFL OKOK UTUT

Would consider using Would consider using relationship education, relationship education, such as workshops or such as workshops or classes, to strengthen classes, to strengthen relationshiprelationship

7979 6464 7474 8787 7272 8383

Considers it a good or Considers it a good or very good idea for very good idea for government to develop government to develop programs to strengthen programs to strengthen marriage and reduce marriage and reduce divorcedivorce

6767 8585 8787 9090 8888 8686

Implications

Low-income groups have highest need and Low-income groups have highest need and are most open to marriage educationare most open to marriage education

Never-married parents aspire to marriage; Never-married parents aspire to marriage; may benefit if timing and content are rightmay benefit if timing and content are right

Public support for spending resources on Public support for spending resources on initiatives to strengthen marriage is highinitiatives to strengthen marriage is high