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Early Marriage in the United States
Author(s) -
Uecker Jeremy E.,
Stokes Charles E.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of marriage and family
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.578
H-Index - 159
eISSN - 1741-3737
pISSN - 0022-2445
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2008.00530.x
Subject(s) - national survey of family growth , disadvantaged , protestantism , faith , national longitudinal surveys , longitudinal study , value (mathematics) , ethnic group , demography , psychology , sociology , political science , population , demographic economics , medicine , family planning , research methodology , law , pathology , machine learning , philosophy , theology , economics , computer science
Despite drastic changes in the American family, a significant minority of Americans marry early. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health ( N = 14,165), this study evaluates the prevalence and antecedents of early marriage in the United States. The results indicate 25% of women and 16% of men marry before age 23, and early marriage varies widely across a number of characteristics. Individuals who marry earlier are more likely to be from disadvantaged families, from conservative Protestant or Mormon families, to value their religious faith more highly, to have a high‐school diploma but a lower educational trajectory, and to cohabit before marriage. Scholars and policymakers interested in marriage should pay adequate attention to understanding and supporting these individuals’ marriages.