Marriage has significant impact on children and on society of a nation and statistics show children are much less likely to have emotional or behavioral problems, economic status at poverty level, commit suicide, use illegal drugs, or engage in premature sex if they grow up in a family with a mother and a father who are married to each other. For society in general, sexual health issues come into play with marriage.

U.S. Marriage Index

The U.S. Marriage Index, brainchild of David Blankenhorn, president of the Institute of American Values indicates trends of marriage. He says economists have indicators for the economy so why not have indicators for marriage. This index was born out of Blankenhorn’s frustration for not being able to publicly discuss marriage. He found there is “a lot of genuine opinion out there that really marriage is something that we ought to leave to people’s private decision-making and it’s not society’s business to get into, as determined by Blankenhorn.” From my experience, everyone in the family is affected the breakup or dysfunction of the family.

Five Components of U.S. Marriage Index

These components make up this index and are as follows, reported in percentages:

1.number of marrieds between 20 and 54 years of age

2.how many are intact first marriages

3.happily married

4.births to married parents

5.how many children living with birth parents

For comparison, in 1970 that composite score was 76.2 and in 2008 it dropped by about 16 percent to 60.3 percent with a couple of breakdowns, primarily due to divorce and out-of-wedlock births.

marrieds between 20 and 54 years of age - 78.6 (1970) and 57.2 (2008), drop of 21.4 percent

first marriages remaining intact – 77.4 (1970) and 61.2 (2008), drop of 16.2 percent

births to married parents – 90 (1970) and 60 (2008), drop of 30 percent

The U.S. Marriage Index will be reported every other year from a consortium of researchers, 15 academics, and policy experts who will give healthy marriage indicators. The index also provides suggestions for education and mentoring programs.

Cheryl

Reference

Houston Chronicle – Oct. 24, 2009