Healthy Marriages and Relationships A Feasible Public Policy Agenda Alan J Hawkins PhD Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA hawkinsabyuedu Presentation to Utah FACS Association Conference ID: 649289
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Promoting Positive Pathways for Youth and Emerging Adults to Healthy Marriages and Relationships:A Feasible Public Policy Agenda
Alan J. Hawkins, Ph.D.
Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah, USA
hawkinsa@byu.edu
Presentation to Utah
FACS
Association Conference
, Nov. 5, 2011Slide2
“Deinstitutionalization” of marriageInstitutional boundaries have shrunkSociety does not structure pathways to marriageFewer models of healthy marriagesPersonal development & individual emotions at core of modern marriageMarriage a diminishing “life script” that orders life for youth & emerging adults
The Challenging Path to Healthy Marriages and RelationshipsSlide3
Many sexual partnersPre-engagement cohabitationPre-marital parenthoodRelationship violenceRisk Factors for Forming & Sustaining Healthy MarriagesSlide4
Public costs of marital breakdown & lack of marital formation are substantialSocieties have always helped structure pathways from youth to adulthoodHeartless to let youth & young adults struggleFree societies education about choices
Should Government Get Involved?Slide5
School-based relationship literacy education for youthPositive relationship formation education for emerging adultsPre-marital education for engaged couplesMarriage enrichment for early married couples
(and parenting education)
Divorce orientation education for individuals at the crossroads of divorce
Promote with media campaigns
A Feasible Public Policy AgendaSlide6
Build on existing educational infrastructuresVoluntary educational servicesEfficient preventative servicesUse existing policy toolsMinimize need for legislationFeasibilitySlide7
Promote a social ecology in which marriages can take root and thrive:Education policyEmployment policySubstance abuse policy
Teen/unwanted pregnancy prevention policy
Domestic violence prevention policy
Responsible fatherhood policy
Need to support coterminous economic and social policy Slide8
Elongated period of sexual and relationship exploration unconnected to marriageExperienced high rates of family instabilityDiminishing models of healthy marriagesMedia saturates with misleading messages1. Relationship Literacy Education for Youth: BackgroundSlide9
Beyond sex educationRelational and familial contexts of sexualityImportant skills for forming and sustaining healthy romantic relationships and marriages (problem solving/communication) Knowledge about healthy relationships (including relationship violence)Sexual partnering/cohabitation and marriage
1. Relationship Literacy Education for Youth:
What Is It?Slide10
Emerging, early evidenceDecrease faulty relationship beliefsImprove communication skills Increase positive relationship skills Long-term outcome evaluations needed
1. Relationship Literacy Education for Youth:
Is It Effective?Slide11
School-based curriculaOklahoma: “Connections/PREP” (110,000+)Utah: Financial Literacy + Relationship LiteracyAlabama: diverse students, well studiedFund within normal educational channelsEnhance with additional, limited government funds
1. Relationship Literacy Education for Youth:
Delivery InfrastructureSlide12
Decade between high school graduation and marriageFormation of more serious relationshipsSexual historiesPre-marital parenthoodRelationship violenceCohabitation not effective marital preparation
2. Positive Relationship Formation for Emerging Adults:
BackgroundSlide13
Positive trajectories to marriageCommitment educationSliding vs. Deciding More healthy relationships skills & knowledge (including relationship violence issues)Example: “Within My/Our Reach” (PREP-based)
2. Positive Relationship Formation for Emerging Adults:
What Is It?Slide14
Early evidenceIncreased intentionalityHealthy relationship knowledgeImproved communication skills Long-term outcome evaluations needed2. Positive Relationship Formation for Emerging Adults:
Is It Effective?Slide15
Social service agencies (serving disadvantaged young adults)Community colleges/UniversitiesWeb-based programs2. Positive Relationship Formation for Emerging Adults:
Delivery InfrastructureSlide16
Timing: openness to relationship educationOnly about 1/3 couples invest in formal pre-marital educationHalf of marriages are remarriagesCohabitation not effective preparation3. Pre-marital Education for Engaged Couples:
BackgroundSlide17
Problem-solving & communication skillsKnowledge (e.g., finances, in-laws, household labor, etc.)Personalized inventories of relationshipReligious doctrine on marriage (in religious settings)
3. Pre-marital Education for Engaged Couples:
What Is It?Slide18
Long tradition of researchIncreased communication skillsShort-term divorce reduction10-15% engagement termination Long-term outcome evaluations needed3. Pre-marital Education for Engaged Couples:
Is It Effective?Slide19
Religious organizationsU.S. Cooperative Extension SystemPromote with reduced marriage license feesFL, GA, MD, MN, OK, SC, TN, TXcoming soon to Utah??
3. Pre-marital Education for Engaged Couples:
Delivery InfrastructureSlide20
First 5 years highest risk for divorceHigher risk for remarried couplesTransition to parenthood hard for some4. Marital Enrichment for Early-Marriage Couples: BackgroundSlide21
More problem-solving & communication skillsRemarriage issues/ special curriculaFrom partners to parentsParenting educationDevelop more emotional intelligence in childrenGive them better foundation for future relationships
4. Marital Enrichment for Early-Marriage Couples:
What Is It?Slide22
Long tradition of researchIncreased communication skillsIncreased relationship quality/satisfactionSome evidence of divorce reductionStabilize relationship across transition to parenthood Increased parenting skillsIncreased father involvement
4. Marital Enrichment for Early-Marriage Couples:
Is It Effective?Slide23
Religious organizationsU.S. Cooperative Extension SystemU.S. Head Start programs4. Marital Enrichment for Early-Marriage Couples: Delivery InfrastructureSlide24
Unnecessary divorceHalf of divorces come from low-conflict marriages; adults and children from these divorces do worseDivorce often increases conflictDivorce not reliable path to happinessUnhappy marriages usually become happy10% couples (30% individuals) indicate desire for reconciliation at last legal stage of divorce
5. Divorce Orientation Education for Couples on the Brink:
BackgroundSlide25
Research-based impacts of divorce for children and adultsReconciliation possibilityReconciliation resourcesDivorce resourcesLegal options (value of mediation, collaborative law)Co-parenting education, plans
Utah: mandated divorce orientation education
(but implementation problems)
5. Divorce Orientation Education for Couples on the Brink:
What Is It?Slide26
No research yet on divorce orientation educationQuickly recover costsEvidence for divorcing parenting educationReduced co-parenting conflictPositive parental disciplineChild well-being (parental reports)Positive effects even for court-mandated programs
5. Divorce Orientation Education for Couples on the Brink:
Is It Effective?Slide27
Mandated divorcing parents education (modify to include reconciliation considerations)Faith-based organizations5. Divorce Orientation Education for Couples on the Brink:
Delivery InfrastructureSlide28
Increase awareness and openness to educational servicesCalifornia Healthy Marriage CoalitionUtah Healthy Marriage InitiativeNational Healthy Marriage Resource CenterFirst Things First (Chattanooga, Tennessee)
6. Promote with Media CampaignsSlide29
Christian Smith and colleagues. (2011). Lost in Transition.Mark Regnerus & Jeremy Uecker (2010). Premarital Sex in America.Andrew
Cherlin
. (2009).
The Marriage-Go-Round.
Dibble Institute: Resources for Teaching Relationship Skills to Teens
(
www.dibbleinstitute.org
)
National Marriage Project
(
www.virginia.edu
/
marriageproject
)
Recommended ResourcesSlide30
Evidence that programmatic MRE can help . . .Imagine: a series of MRE experiences from . . . Parenting that builds children’s emotional intelligenceAdolescence . . . Emerging adulthood . . . Engagement . . . Early marriage and transition to parenthood . . .
Crossroads of divorce “safety net”
Creating cultural change to counter
strong historical forces towards the deinstitutionalization of marriage
ConclusionSlide31
Thank You!Promoting Positive Pathways for Youth and Emerging Adults to Healthy Marriages and Relationships:
A Feasible Public Policy Agenda
Alan J. Hawkins, Ph.D.
hawkinsa@byu.edu