Thursday, May 19, 2011

Good News

Let's stop and enjoy some good news, for a change. The Washington Post reports that marriages are lasting longer than before.

Read more deeply into the article and discover that one reason for this happy outcome is that many who would divorce aren't marrying before breaking up. People are waiting until somewhat later in life to marry.

Demographics also influence marital outcomes. The article quotes W. Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia as saying:
Marriage has become a much more selective institution in today’s society. People who are college-educated, more affluent or more religious are more likely to get married and stay married. People who are not are less likely to get married in the first place, and if they do marry, they’re more likely to divorce.
Different ethnic groups also have different experiences with marriage, for some of the above reasons and perhaps cultural reasons as well.