Why Marriage Matters for Family and Child Well-Being (with Brad Wilcox)

Katharine Stevens is joined by Brad Wilcox, a professor of sociology and director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, to discuss the role of marriage in family strength and well-being.

Professor Wilcox argues that children growing up with married parents are more likely to flourish because marriage provides stability, financial resources, and emotional support for parents, leading to better parenting outcomes. He describes the steep decline in marriage rates over the past century, and the growing marriage divide between higher and lower socioeconomic groups. Finally, he explains how current government policies disincentivize marriage for lower-income couples, and discusses how both government and civil society could better promote marriage. 

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