Young Adult Attitudes About Relationships and Marriage: Times May Have Changed, But Expectations Remain High
Child Trends, Mindy E. Scott, Erin Schelar, Jennifer Manlove, and Carol Cui, July 2009
Compared with previous generations, fewer young adults today are married, and the age of first marriage has risen. At the same time, living together—or cohabitation—is more common. In fact, cohabiting unions have become the most prevalent type of relationship among men and women in their twenties. Such increases in cohabitation have changed the context of relationship and family formation for young adults. In the past, teen births have comprised the majority of nonmarital and unintended births in the United States. However, in the context of changing patterns of relationship formation, including continually rising rates of cohabitation, the majority of births to 20- to 24- year-olds currently occur outside of marriage. The highest rates of unintended pregnancy and childbearing also occur to women in their late teens and early twenties. Research shows that unintended and nonmarital childbearing are associated with a host of negative consequences for both parents and children. Thus, the sexual and romantic relationships that young adults form influence not just their own lives, but also the lives of their children. This reality underscores the importance of increasing understanding about the context in which young adults view how they form relationships and create families.
Via the North Carolina Family Policy Council.
