European, British, and U.S. Family Formation and Patterns-A Comparison

Family life in the European, British, and U.S. contexts has altered dramatically by decreased marriage and remarriage rates, increased divorce and cohabitation rates, decreased fertility rates, increased numbers of unmarried parents, and increased numbers of children born out-of-wedlock. Although marriage has given way somewhat to cohabitation and divorce, cohabitation has not yet replaced marriage. Many people in Europe, Great Britain, and the United States have positive attitudes toward marriage and family life, and marriage continues to form the core of one's life in all these three cultures. Marriage and family are still important and valued units for these societies. The pattern of changes that are happening in the European, British, and the U.S. family life suggests that these families are more similar than different from each other. However, differences exist. Some of the differences and similarities noticed may be a function of cultural differences and similarities as well as a function of changes in the societies' values, ideology, and social/economic perspective.

Vjollca K. Martinson received a Ph.D. degree from Brigham Young University in Marriage, Family, and Human Development. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist. Her research and clinical interests focus on relationship/marital quality and treatment of children and adolescents with serious emotional and behavioral difficulties.