American attitudes toward marriage have undergone changes in recent years, with shifts toward an increased acceptance of nontraditional family forms. Data have shown that Americans are developing increasingly favorable attitudes toward nontraditional marital and family values and behaviors, such as cohabitation, divorce, remaining single, and premarital sex. Americans are also expressing more egalitarian views toward gender roles in marriage. At the same time, studies have found that, across groups, the majority of American adolescents express overall positive attitudes toward marriage and a desire to become married themselves. Furthermore, these findings suggest that having positive attitudes toward marriage (such as the belief that getting married is a better lifestyle choice than remaining single) is associated with an increased likelihood of becoming married oneself. (Author abstract)