Expressed attitudes of adolescents toward marriage and family life.

Martin, Paige D. ; Specter, Gerald ; Martin, Don 等

Nontraditional behaviors with respect to sex, family, and gender roles have become increasingly widespread and more socially accepted (Barber & Axinn, 1998; Lye & Waldron, 1997; Werner-Wilson, 1998; Wu & Baer, 1994). The traditional, "nuclear" family, which has been described as a sexually exclusive unit with a division of labor between husband and wife and a focus on children (Burguiere, Kaplish-Zuber, Segalen, & Zonabend, 1994), has become more flexible with changing societal trends. In the U.S., for example, stepfamilies comprise nearly 17% of all two-parent families (Hetherington et al., 1998), while 50-60% of children born in 1990 lived with a single parent (Furstenberg, 1996; Hetherington et al., 1998; Tasker & Richards, 1994).

Marriage offers significant advantages to both adults and children. Married people have higher incomes and more assets than singles (Samuelson, 1996). Children of single-parent families are twice as likely to drop out of school and three times as likely to live in poverty when compared to children from two-parent families (Hetherington et al., 1998). In addition, married couples have been found to be happier and healthier (Horwitz & White, 1998; Phares & Lum, 1996). Nevertheless, marriage as an institution has become less valued, and nonmarital arrangements, such as cohabitation, have become more popular (Hetherington et al., 1998; Institute for American Values, 1995; Tasker & Richards, 1994). Furthermore, there is less of a stigma associated with the decision not to marry. The Institute for American Values (1995) reported that 33% of adults are ambivalent regarding whether or not it is better to marry than be single. The overall proportion of unmarried persons has risen in the past thirty years and the number of nonmarital cohabitants has also increased (Clydesdale, 1997; Edmondson, 1997; Kranczer, 1997). According to Edmondson (1997), more than 4 in 10 women aged 15 through 44 have been in an unmarried cohabitation partnership at some time in their lives.

Despite these trends, there is a consistent desire by Americans to marry. Most divorced people express a desire to remarry and 81% still believe marriage is a commitment for life (Clarksberg, Stolzenberg, & Waite, 1995; Furstenberg, 1996; Popenoe, 1993). Forty percent of all marriages in the United States now involve one spouse who has been married at least once (Ten Kate, 1996), with the United States having the highest remarriage rate in the world (Institute for American Values, 1995). Approximately 40% of married couple households are projected to become remarried families before the youngest child turns 18 (Hetherington et al., 1998; Institute for American Values, 1995; Ten Kate, 1996).

METHOD

The Marriage and Family Life Survey (Martin & Martin, 1981) was chosen for the present study because of its ability to examine the many different dimensions of relationships (sex, cohabitation, role of religion, marriage status of parents, and proclivity to seek professional help concerning relationships). This instrument includes demographic questions pertaining to age, gender, ethnic background, year in school, parental marriage status, and dating experience.

For the purpose of this investigation, approximately 200 students out of a potential pool of 8,795 9th-12th graders were randomly selected to receive the Marriage and Family Life Survey (Martin & Martin, 1981). One hundred forty-five responses were received, providing a satisfactory level of statistical power (Erdfelder, Faul, & Buchner, 1996; Faul & Erdfelder, 1992).

Parents of the participants were sent a packet consisting of the survey, consent forms, and parental and participant introductory letters describing the purpose of the study, participants' confidentiality rights, whom to contact to obtain further information about the research, and method of returning completed surveys and consent forms. The data were analyzed in several ways, incorporating frequencies, percentages, means, medians, and standard deviations.

Sample

The sample consisted of urban, suburban, and rural adolescents located in the Dallas--Forth Worth area of Texas. Their average age was approximately sixteen years; 66.9% were female and 33.1% were male. White non-Hispanics were the largest ethnic group represented in the sample (48.0%), followed by African Americans (28.4%), Hispanics (7.4%), American Indians/Alaskan Natives (4.1%), and other races (12.2%). The largest subgroups were in the 9th (27.0%) and 12th grades (34.5%). The largest contingent reported that they lived in homes with married (first time) parents (44.6%), 12.2% reported that their parents were separated, 14.2% indicated that their parents were divorced, and 25.7% indicated that their parents were remarried. In regard to dating experience, 43.2% of the adolescents indicated they had dated one individual seriously in the past year and 32.4% reported they had dated several individuals in the past year. Only 12.2% reported they had not dated at all; the same percentage reported that they dated frequently. In terms of expected age at marriage, 6.1% indicated that they anticipate being married between the ages of 17 and 22, 68.2% indicated that they anticipate being married between the ages of 23 and 27, 16.9% indicated they anticipate being married between the ages of 28 and 32, and 2.7% indicated they preferred to be married after the age of 32. Only 6.1% indicated they did not anticipate being married at all.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Based on the current literature, it was believed that the majority of adolescents would express accepting attitudes toward marriage. The findings from this study support this viewpoint. Approximately two thirds of the adolescents (65.3%) expressed positive attitudes toward marriage.

Despite these positive attitudes, the majority of adolescents (57.4%) felt they were unprepared for marriage, while 20.9% felt they were prepared, and 20.9% expressed no opinion. However, the majority (67.7%) believed they had the skills necessary to make a good marriage. These findings appear contradictory and may indicate confusion about what would be expected of them, the skills needed, and their ability to be successful regarding marriage. It could be surmised from these results that adolescents overestimate their abilities and hold misconceptions concerning marriage and family life. Furthermore, over half of the respondents were from single-parent or blended families, suggesting that they have observed extensive marital conflict at some point in their lives. Because the research literature has shown that marital conflict and disruption have an effect on the development of intimate relationships in young people (Amato, 1996; Holman & Li, 1997; Rogers & Amato, 1997), it is possible that these adolescents are not sufficiently prepared for successful marriage and family life.

Divorce

It has been estimated that half of all new marriages will end in divorce and approximately one million children will experience parental divorce each year (Hetheringten et al., 1998). This high rate of divorce has increased the number of children being raised in single-parent homes, which are often female-headed (McElroy, Williams, & Anderson, 1999). In this study, 51.1% of adolescents expressed negative attitudes toward divorce, 27.1% expressed positive attitudes, and 22.0% had no opinion.

When interpreting these results, it should be noted that the majority of the adolescents came from single-parent or blended families. Thus, divorce has been a significant event in the lives of these young people. However, the effects of parental separation and divorce remain unclear. Some research suggests that this trend may be affecting young people's attitudes toward the institution of marriage. Although the exposure of young people to divorce appears to contribute to feelings of apprehension, these may have minimal effects regarding the decision to marry and start a family (Johnston & Thomas, 1996; Johnson, Wilkinson, & McNeil, 1995).

It would appear, based on the results of this investigation, that adolescents desire to have successful marriages. For example, 82.5% of the respondents endorsed the following statement: "Marriage is a lifelong commitment." However, it could be speculated that it becomes more difficult to learn the skills necessary for a stable, long-term relationship when such a large number of adolescents from this generation have been exposed to divorce and its consequences.

Premarital Sex

Premarital sexual activity has become more common among young adults than in past generations, and it is an important aspect of adolescent relationships (Feigenbaum, Weinstein, & Rosen, 1995; McElroy et al., 1999). Haffner (1997) believes that societal attitudes have changed, making premarital sex more acceptable and less stigmatized. Although some researchers suggest adolescents are beginning to make smarter choices in terms of premarital sex, the bulk of the literature indicates that adolescents are continuing to engage in high-risk sexual practices. In a study by Lye and Waldron (1997), 38% of 15- to 19-year-old males and 41% of 15- to 19-year-old females reported using an ineffective method or no method of contraception at first intercourse. In addition, teenagers comprise one fifth of the nation's cases of sexually transmitted diseases (Barber & Axinn, 1998). One out of every six sexually active teens becomes infected with a sexually transmitted disease every year. While it appears that the majority of young adults are not engaging in high-risk sexual practices with a number of partners concurrently, they continue to engage in these behaviors with a single committed partner (Werner-Wilson, 1998; Wu & Baer, 1994). Further, they may be in a series of mutually monogamous relationships, each lasting only a short period of time. This pattern increases the likelihood that adolescents will have sexual relationships with a number of partners (Leigh, Morrison, Trocki, & Temple, 1994; McElroy et al., 1999), in turn increasing the probability of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases (Haffner, 1997).

Based on the above research, the majority of respondents would be expected to express positive attitudes toward premarital sexual behaviors. Interestingly, it was found that only 36.1% of the adolescents held positive attitudes regarding premarital sex, while 37.3% expressed negative attitudes and 26.6% expressed no opinion about premarital sex. However, 51.4% indicated they had engaged in sexual intercourse. It appears that adolescents may not always act in accord with their expressed attitudes.

Typically, adolescents engage in sexual behaviors within a committed relationship with someone they love (McElroy et al., 1999; Salts, Seismore, Lindholm & Smith, 1994). The majority of adolescents in our study (65.5%) indicated that it was not acceptable to have sexual intercourse without loving one's partner. Despite the growing evidence in the literature that adolescents are committing to long-term relationships with one partner (Leigh et al., 1994), results from the present study show otherwise. Although a large portion of respondents indicated they had dated one individual seriously in the last year, 32.4% had dated several individuals in the past year. While many of these adolescents appear to be engaging in premarital sex within the boundaries of a committed relationship, the reality may be that the relationship is not long-term.

Cohabitation

Cohabitation before marriage or as an alternative to marriage has increased dramatically in the past thirty years. Adolescents appear to view cohabitation as a means of increasing the chances of a successful marriage; however, these beliefs conflict with evidence suggesting that cohabitation has negative effects on the longevity and success of a future marriage. In our study, 50.4% of the adolescents expressed positive attitudes toward cohabitation, 27.0% had negative attitudes toward this practice, and 22.6% expressed no opinion.

Despite the consensus in the research, which suggests that people who cohabitate prior to marriage have less marital success than those couples who do not, 48.7% of the adolescents indicated they would want to live with someone before they got married. Family disruption has made it more difficult for today's youth to observe successful, long-term relationships, and these adolescents seem to be searching for ways to acquire the necessary skills for marriage. However, this generation may be repeating the same mistakes they are trying to avoid (Horwitz & White, 1998; Lye & Waldron, 1997).

Premarital Counseling and Psychoeducational Interventions

Although most people express positive attitudes regarding their preparation for marriage, few are genuinely prepared for this complex social institution. Extensive research has identified factors having an effect on the success of marriage, such as role expectations, communication skills, and personality (Schumm, Resnick, Silliman, & Bell, 1998). Research has also indicated that preventive approaches may be helpful in limiting marital distress and building successful marriages (Lesage-Higgins, 1999). However, little research has addressed the need for more education and preparation, especially for adolescents and young adults.

There is increasing evidence which suggests that young people enter into marriage too quickly and are ill-prepared to make the adjustments necessary to assure stable, harmonious relationships (Diagrazia, 1998; Schumm et al., 1998). The findings from the present study are encouraging in that there appears to be a growing realization of the need for greater preparation regarding marriage and parenthood. Only 28.9% of the adolescents expressed negative attitudes toward premarital counseling and psychoeducational interventions. In addition, approximately 41.2% agreed that counseling is not only for those couples that are in trouble, and 47.3% believed they needed more education regarding what to expect from marriage.

Implications for Counseling

A number of programs have been developed to help adolescents prepare for marriage and family life, but their use is not widespread. The present study indicates that providing adolescents with the information they need to make informed choices (e.g., in high school sex education classes) may be useful in helping them identify their attitudes and how these attitudes may influence marriage and family life. Helping adolescents understand the discrepancies between their attitudes and their behaviors would also be beneficial.

Much of the current research focuses on the aftermath of failed marriages, often emphasizing the negative impact on society. It is suggested that mental health professionals and educators take a more proactive role in educating young adults about marriage and family life. For example, premarital workshops and psychoeducational interventions could be conducted in schools, churches, hospitals, and youth centers.

The results of this study show that many adolescents desire committed, long-term relationships. It is thus important for psychologists, counselors, and therapists to talk to adolescents about their attitudes toward marriage and family life and how these attitudes often conflict with societal trends. Educating adolescents about the skills necessary to build and maintain loving, long-lasting relationships is also important.

Finally, premarital sex is frequently an important aspect of teenage intimate relationships. However, it is clear that adolescents are often unprepared for the possible ramifications. Therefore, it appears appropriate to develop programs to help adolescents meet their intimacy needs appropriately and safely.

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Paige D. Martin, Director of School Psychology Services, Rootstown Independent Schools, Rootstown, Ohio.

Gerald Specter, Associate Professor of Psychology, Miami Institute of Psychology, Miami, Florida.

Maggie Martin, Clinical Psychologist, PsyCare, Inc., Youngstown, Ohio.

Requests for reprints should be sent to Don Martin, Department of Counseling, Youngstown State University, One University Plaza, Youngstown, Ohio 44555. E-mail: dmartin@ysu.edu