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Marital attitude trajectories across adolescence
1School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, 2081 JFSB, BYU, Provo, UT 84602, USA. brian.willoughby@byu.edu
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
|November 26, 2009
Summary
Adolescents increasingly prioritize marriage during their teenage years, but this shift is influenced by factors like gender, race, and educational goals. This longitudinal study tracked 1,010 students for four years.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Sociology of the Family
- Adolescent Studies
Background:
- Existing developmental literature often assumes marital attitudes are static.
- Lack of longitudinal research on how marital attitudes evolve during adolescence.
- Understanding shifts in adolescent views on marriage is crucial for family studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal changes in adolescent marital attitudes.
- To examine how family structure, educational aspirations, race, and gender influence these changes.
- To challenge the assumption of static marital attitudes in developmental literature.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study tracking 1,010 high school students (ages 14-18) over four years.
- Utilized latent growth models to analyze marital attitude trajectories.
- Data collected from a Midwestern metropolitan area sample.
Main Results:
- Adolescents showed an increasing priority for marriage as they approached young adulthood.
- Gender, race, and educational aspirations significantly moderated the rate of change in marital attitudes.
- Identified distinct trajectories for marital attitude development across adolescence.
Conclusions:
- Marital attitudes are dynamic during adolescence, not static.
- Factors such as gender, race, and educational aspirations play a critical role in shaping these attitudes.
- Emphasizes the need for more longitudinal research considering multiple facets of marital attitudes.
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