This report examines potential precursors of the changes in adult marriage patterns in recent decades. It draws on data from four large national surveys to examine the experiences and attitudes of teenagers to gain a better understanding of factors that influence their views of marriage and their relationship choices in adulthood. The report analyzes teenagers’ […]
This curriculum guide is designed to help organizations choose a marriage curriculum when planning to provide marriage education services in the community. It begins by listing questions to consider when selecting the most appropriate curriculum for a specific audience, and then offers an assessment guide to help practitioners systematically analyze a curriculum or compare curricula. […]
The success of every healthy marriage initiative depends on getting the word out about the program. In addition to making the community aware of the services offered, quality marketing helps recruit participants. While some organizations will have a media or advertising budget, many will not. This Tip Sheet provides ideas on how to get free […]
In the late 1990s the State of Oklahoma, recognizing the economic and social consequences of its high rates of divorce and non-marital childbearing, undertook an innovative strategy to strengthen families. At the direction of the Governor, the state initiated an effort to reduce divorce and decrease non-marital childbearing. This pioneering effort became the Oklahoma Marriage […]
The goal of the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative (OMI) is to make information about the skills needed to build and sustain healthy marriages broadly available throughout the state. To pursue the mission of changing the culture of marriage and divorce, OMI leaders decided to engage the support of grass-roots volunteers in communities across the state. By […]
This research brief describes rates of health care coverage for married- and single-parent families with children under age 18, a key target population of both marriage and health care coverage initiatives. Drawing on nationally representative data from the Current Population Survey (CPS), the brief reports differences in rates of health care coverage by marital status […]
This fact sheet explains the reasons married couples sometimes have difficulty communicating, urges couples to realize that a positive attitude and a win-win mentality will help, and recommends couples take a break from a discussion if communication becomes too difficult. Ground rules for communicating a message are then discussed and include: pick the right time, […]
In recent decades, there has been a widening gap between higher rates of marital instability for economically disadvantaged couples and lower rates for nondisadvantaged couples. In addition, out-of-wedlock birth rates have risen, while evidence has grown that children fare better, on average, when raised by both of their parents in stable low-conflict households. All of […]
This brief explores what role fathers play in perpetrating or protecting their children from child neglect and abuse. Studies indicate that fathers, especially married fathers who live with their children, play an important role in protecting their children from abuse and neglect, a fact that is often overlooked by researchers, policymakers, and the media. This […]
New parents make a lot of preparations when a baby is on the way. Some of the things couples have to consider are where the baby will sleep and who will stay home with the baby. With these and other preparations, many couples don't prepare for the change that the baby will have on their […]