Marriage: America’s Keystone Institution

Marriage is linked to better financial, social, and emotional outcomes for children, men, and women—and many of these effects appear to have a causal dimension. Many social scientists have discovered these basic patterns of findings in their work over the years. But one new development in this research is that we are seeing more evidence that marriage may matter more than ever for the well-being of children and adults, at least on some outcomes. Scholars, journalists, professionals, and policymakers should not only take note of marriage’s rising value, but they should also act to make sure that more men, women, and children benefit from our nation’s most fundamental institution.

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