Why are Healthy Marriages Important?
Healthy marriages are important to individuals, children and society as a whole for many reasons, but here are some of the major ones:
A healthy marriage is the best environment in which to raise children. Researchers agree that children whose parents do not stay together, or who grow up in a family where their parents are in continuous, serious conflict, are less likely to do well in life than children who are raised by their two biological or adoptive parents in a low-conflict, healthy marriage. Children raised by single parents are considerably more likely to be poor and experience the disadvantages associated with poverty, and they are at higher risk of having cognitive, emotional and social problems. See: The Impact of Family Formation Change on the Cognitive, Social and Emotional Well-Being of the Next Generation by Paul Amato, Ph.D.; and Are Married Parents Really Better for Children? a CLASP policy brief by Mary Parke.
A healthy marriage remains a very widely held and highly rated personal goal. Surveys have repeatedly found that more than 80% of young people and adults from all racial, ethnic, religious and economic backgrounds say that having a happy long lasting marriage is among their most important life goals. See the NHMRC Press Release – February 19, 2009.
A healthy marriage brings many economic and health benefits to individuals. Individuals who sustain a healthy marriage generally earn more and save more, are more likely to be in good physical and emotional health, and report having happy and satisfying lives. See: Institute for American Values’ publication: Why Marriage Matters, Second edition.: Twenty Six Conclusions from the Social Sciences.
Healthy marriages save taxpayers a lot of money. The continuing high rates of divorce and unwed childbearing have increased the costs of welfare and other income support programs, and of numerous education, justice, health and social programs. Moreover since single parents earn less income, tax revenues are decreased. A recent estimate, using conservative assumptions, calculated that current rates of family “fragmentation” cost taxpayers at least $112 billion a year. See: Taxpayer Costs of Divorce and Unwed Childbearing., First-Ever Estimates for the Nation and All Fifty States, published by the Institute for American Values; and Why Marriage Matters, Twenty-Six Conclusions from the Social Sciences also publshed by the Institute for American Values.
