An overwhelming majority of Americans still aspire to be happily married, yet more than three decades of high divorce rates, changes in social norms, and changes in the structure and organization of families make this goal seem difficult for many to achieve. In the wake of these changes, a new consensus is emerging among academic […]
Evolving patterns of marriage and divorce are at the core of studying changes in family composition and living arrangements. The timing of the age at entry into first marriage often reflects the period when people enter adulthood, such as the Great Depression of the 1930s or the economic prosperity of the post-World War II era. […]
In this testimony before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families, Dr. Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, the Co-Director of the National Marriage Project at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, discusses the benefits of marriage. She begins by exploring the reasons for marriage and then describes the economic, educational, and emotional benefits of marriage […]
A remarriage occurs when a previously married person marries again. This fact sheet reviews information regarding remarriage patterns, trends and issues in the United States. Please note that this fact sheet is limited because the national surveys and databases that allowed for analyses of marriage patterns no longer exist (Kreider, 2005). Thus, much of this […]
Raising children with developmental, emotional, behavioral or medical special needs inarguably impacts a marriage. The manner in which it changes, however, is not determined by the nature or severity of the child?s disorder nor even by the number of children with disabilities in a family; the impact is determined by the manner in which the […]
The sheet offers practical tips for guiding your program into the future, especially as many federal grants wind down. Managing the daily activities of a healthy marriage and relationship education (HMR) program can leave little time for thinking about the future. However, preparing for the future is a necessity for HMR programs interested in program […]
This brief discusses the importance of tailoring healthy marriage marketing messages so that they reach African American couples. Marketing ideas are shared that are based on interviews, collaborations, and direct involvement with public information campaigns addressing the needs of a variety of cohorts within the African American community. Findings are cited that indicate African Americans […]
The potential for stress over money does not go away just because you retire. In fact, it can become more intense. In order to minimize that stress, you must have a solid plan for managing money during your retirement years. This Tip Sheet offers 5 steps to take to create a plan. (Author abstract)
This brief describes how depression can negatively affect both partners in a marriage, offers statistics on the incidence of depression, and discusses different types of depression. Common signs of depression in men and in women are identified, and possible reasons for depression are explained. Finally, treatment options are reviewed. 7 references.
This federally funded brief discusses how the rise in the popularity of cohabiting is linked to other important shifts in family patterns in the United States, and provides information on the number of cohabiting couples with children, different types of cohabitation, and research findings on cohabitation. Evidence is cited that indicates cohabiting before marriage is […]