Lecture Outline for April 6
I. Policy efforts to strengthen marriage II. The impact of family structure III. Quiz 7 (on chapter 7)
Types of Marriages
• arranged marriage • free-choice marriage
arranged
free choice
Is there a relationship between the type of marriage system and divorce?
• Is the divorce rate always lower in more traditional societies that are closer to using an arranged marriage system than they are in societies that are more free-choice marriage based?
Policy Efforts to Strengthen Marriage
• Several states already have programs and policies in place to strengthen marriage; • 27 states have enacted covenant marriage legislation; • Currently, one-third of the births in the U.S. are out-of-wedlock; 40% of out-of-wedlock births are accounted for my cohabiting couples; the United Kingdom has a higher rate of out-of-wedlock births that the U.S.
Policy Efforts to Strengthen Marriage
• The best estimate, based on current data and trends, is that there is close to a 50% chance that a marriage started today will end in divorce; • Oklahoma has the second highest divorce rate in the country; • Since 1950, the marriage rate for women 15 to 44 has declined by over 50%; • Half of those remarrying after a divorce, do so within three years; • There is substantial agreement that children benefit from growing up in a two-parent family;
• Arkansas: Gov. Huckabee decalred a “state of marital emergency” and started a campaign to halve the divorce rate; • Florida instituted mandatory marriage and relationship classes for high school seniors; • Utah has designated an official “marriage week” and has earmarked $600,000 for pro-wedlock projects, including a video; • Oklahoma has used $10 million of welfare money to fund rallies and a year long tour of public appearances by a husband-and-wife team of “marriage ambassadors”; • West Virginia provides financial incentives to poor people who marry (each married couple of welfare has received a $100 monthly bonus since July 2000); • Arizona will spend $1 million on marriage education, including funding for workshops and a handbook;
Marriage Initiatives
Marriage and Well-Being
• Is the relationship between marriage and wellbeing best explained by selection or causation? • Researchers have found that individuals who are married have better mental and physical health than individuals who are not married. • What is the possible explanation?
– CAUSATION – SELECTION
Marriage and Well-Being
• Is the relationship between marriage and well-being best explained by selection or causation? • Researchers have found that individuals who are married are economically better off than individuals who are not married. • What is the possible explanation?
– CAUSATION – SELECTION
Three Eras of Divorce
• The era of restricted divorce- divorce was usually granted only on the grounds of adultery and cruelty, and usually only to men; • The era of divorce tolerance- the grounds for divorce were widened and divorce was made more accessible to women; • The era of unrestricted divorce- divorce is usually granted without restriction to any married person who wants one;
Divorce Rates: 1860 to 1985
25 20 15 10 5 0
50 80 60 20 19 18 18 19 19 80
1950s
Divorce Rates: 1980 to 1990:
23 22.5 22 21.5 21 20.5 20 19.5 19
5 20 15 25 21
Divorce Rates Per 1,000 Married Women
13 11 8 5 2 U.S. Canada U.K. Germany Italy Japan
10
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
0
NOTE: Number of divorces per 1,000 married women in the population.
Family Structure
• In general, research has found that children who grow up in one-parent families have poorer outcomes than do children who grow up in two-parent families.
Consequences of Single Parenthood for Kids
• • • • Impact on family formation behavior Impact on emotional outcomes Impact on economic outcomes Impact on educational outcomes
Explanations
• the economic disadvantage perspective • the parental absence or socialization perspective • the family conflict or stress perspective
$60,000 $50,000 $40,000 $30,000 $20,000 $10,000 $0
Median Family Income by Family Type: 1995
$50,052
$17,936
Two parent family with kids
Single mother family with kids
Percent in Poverty by Family Type: 1995
35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Two parent family One parent family 5.6 32.4
10% 9% 8% 7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0%
Does Income Explain All the Differences in Child Wellbeing?
9%
6% 4% 3%
Baseline difference between two parent and one parent families Difference, controlling for income
H.S. dropout risk
Teen birth risk
Does Parenting Behavior Account for the Difference in Child Wellbeing?
7%
7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% H.S. dropout risk Teen birth risk 3% 6% 5% 4% Baseline difference between two and one parent families Difference, controlling for parental involvement, supervision, and aspirations
Do Changes in Parenting Explain Child Outcomes?
6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% Teen birth risk Idleness risk 0.50% Difference, controlling for post divorce parenting 4% 3.50% 6% 6% 6% Baseline difference between stable and unstable families Difference, controlling for predivorce parenting