Attitudes toward Traditional Marriage: A Comparison of TANF Recipients and a General Population of Adults

ABSTRACT

Marriage enhancement programs enacted under the federal Healthy Marriage Initiative imply that marriage behaviors and attitudes of poor women are different from those of the middle class, and that the cash assistance program is an appropriate venue to change these attitudes. A population of long-term recipients of public cash assistance and a random sample of general population adults were compared regarding views toward traditional marriage. The general population was significantly more aligned with views of traditional marriage, but when factors that directly affect marriage attitudes and behaviors were controlled for, views on traditional marriage were similar for the two groups. Study findings suggest that attitudes toward marriage are not necessarily related to economic status.

CITATION

Taylor, M. J., & Vogel-Ferguson, M.B. (2011). Attitudes toward Traditional Marriage: A Comparison of TANF Recipients and a General Population of Adults. Families in Society, 92(2), pp. 225–229. 

Go to journal article

 

Blog Search