Digital Commons Network^™

The Power Of The “Magic Moment”: The Long-Term Effects Of Marital Expectations On Child Health And Relational Outcomes, Jeffrey K. Larsen, Jeffrey K. Larsen, Brian J. Willoughby

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Nonmarital childbearing has become increasingly common among couples in the United States. Recent research has shown that these unwed parents and their children are more likely to experience negative personal and familial outcomes compared to those families in which the parents are married. These negative outcomes include lower levels of financial stability, inconsistent paternal involvement, more behavioral problems in children, relationship instability, lower amounts of positive parenting practices, and lower levels of relationship satisfaction (Bronte- Tinkew, & Horowitz, 2009; Castillo, 2009; Huang, & Lee, 2008; McLanahan & Garfinkel, 2000; Osborne, Manning, & Smock, 2007; Osborne & McLanahan, 2007). Scholars have …