Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2020 Jan;46(1):149-164.
doi: 10.1111/jmft.12378. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Revising Premarital Relationship Interventions for the Next Generation

Tiffany L Clyde  1 , Alan J Hawkins  1 , Brian J Willoughby  1
Affiliations
Review

Revising Premarital Relationship Interventions for the Next Generation

Tiffany L Clyde et al. J Marital Fam Ther. 2020 Jan.

Abstract

In this article, we review research on contemporary social trends that influence the next generation's ability to form and sustain a healthy marriage. As a result, we argue for greater attention to premarital interventions for engaged couples to help the next generation address the potential challenges created by these trends. After we briefly review the current state of premarital education and counseling, we examine four general, interrelated social trends: individualism and commitment ambivalence, changing attitudes about marriage, premarital relationship histories, and the omnipresent media environment. In addition, we offer four general proposals corresponding to these trends that we believe will enhance the future effectiveness of premarital interventions. We urge premarital educators and counselors to evaluate their current interventions with these proposals in mind.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Poll: Marriage. (2016, October 26-30). Retrieved February 26, 2018, from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-vanity-fair-poll-marriage/
    1. Adler-Baeder, F., Robertson, A., & Schramm, D. G. (2010). Conceptual framework for marriage education programs for stepfamily couples with considerations for socioeconomic context. Marriage and Family Review, 46, 300-322. https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2010.500531.
    1. Albright, J. M. (2008). Sex in America online: An exploration of sex, marital status, and sexual identity in Internet sex seeking and its impacts. Journal of Sex Research, 45, 175-186. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490801987481.
    1. Alloy Media & Marketing. (2009). Ninth Annual College Explorer Survey. Retrieved November 14, 2017, from https://www.marketingcharts.com/television-11195
    1. Amato, P. R., Booth, A., Johnson, D. R., & Rogers, S. J. (2007). Alone together: How marriage in America is changing. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.