Suggested Research Method

My research suggestion on the topic of in-tact marriage and family would be to take a survey, because a survey is a collection of data that is taken by having people answer a series of questions. I think that this will be the best way to find out what makes a marriage and family successful, because I think that there is no right or wrong answers when someone lists what characteristics they believe make marriages successful. 

It would be interesting to see what characteristics my peers pick out to label a successful and in-tact marriage based on what they see from observing their own parents relationship. I plan on using this for my topic because I want to be able to compare the survey answers of my peers. To the answers given by the professionals I have previously researched for the blog. I want to create a Google document targeting about 25 teens, ranging in age from 15 to 18, asking them to list their top 10 characteristic needed for a successful marriage, and family. 

Achieve Marital Success!?

This article lists factors that affect marital success. People getting married think that things are going to last, but their family history also affects the over success rate of their own marriage. I was looking into factors that influence the couple’s rate of success. So what is under their control and what is not? According to this article on stronger marriage  there are seven factors that influence success within the marriage. 

1. Parent's Marriage. If a couple's parents were happily married, the couple is more likely to be happily married and less likely to divorce. Of course, many individuals whose parents divorced are able to establish happy marriages, but the odds favor those with happily married parents.

2. Childhood. An individual who had a happy, "normal" childhood is more likely to be successful in marriage.

3. Length of Acquaintance. Generally, the longer the acquaintance, the more likely the marriage will be successful. Those who have known each other over one year have better odds than those with acquaintanceships less than a year.

4. Age. In general, those who are older when married have more stable marriages. For example, those who marry at 20 years or older have marriages that last twice as long as those who marry under age 20.

5. Parental Approval. Parental approval is related to marriage success for two reasons: 1) approving parents are more supportive, and 2) disapproving parents may be seeing real problems that will create difficulties for the couple.

6. Premarital Pregnancy. Marriages that are the result of pregnancy have a high rate of failure. Fifty percent end within five years.

7. Reasons for Marriage. Marriages begun because of genuine understanding and caring have better success than those started for the "wrong reasons," such as getting away from home, rebellion, or wanting to be "grown up."

This list is then followed up in the article by other additional factors that my blog posts have already been written upon.

I agree that all of these 7 factors contribute to a successful marriage. Especially because we learn from our parents, their marriage and the upbringing they gave us has a huge effect on the way we think and feel, this affects the success rate of your own marriage. With knowing a person for a longer period of time I think that is builds the relationship and does create a stronger foundation for marriage. Age of course changes the way we feel about things, because our brains are still developing. Our attitude then change from the time of adolescent into adulthood, so what they think they want at 18, is most likely something they will not want when they are 25 or older. I think everything else from the article is pretty straight forward and have an obvious contribution to the success of marriages. 

Are relationships more successful within a same sex marriage?

In this article by PBS it is stated that the marriages of lesbians and gays have the same rates of success and failure as compared to that of straight couples. Yet the same idea applies to both same sex and heterosexual relationships, which is good communication is the key to successful relationships. However within the article it was stated that “same-sex couples tend to focus more on equality and resolve conflict more effectively than opposite-sex couples”, but this does not make their relationships more successful over all. Frankly same sex couples have a harder time emotionally than other couples because they often suffer from discrimination, bullying, and sometimes violence. Because of this they have increased stress and mental health problems. This also falls upon the children if the couple decides to have any, because they run the risk of becoming targets along with their parents.

I agree with the ideas stated in the article because I think that they are very logical. However I do think that going through emotional hardships like bullying helps to build relationships. This is because you have someone going through the same thing as you. I feel that then you have someone to express your feelings to and they can understand you and you will be each other’s support system. This is important in any relationship. I think that this builds communication skills and brings people and their partner closer together. Then you know you can get through anything. I think that within a family dynamic children of same sex couples will also grow up to me much more understand and closer to the family because they have bonded by being each other’s support system.