1. Trends of Families
FAM 251
Intro to Family Studies

2. Change in Family Emphasis
From
instrumental
to
expressive

3. Change in Household Size
True
1) Family Formation – increase in single-
parent families and childless couples
2) Move from rural farms to city – from
producers to consumers (more children =
more expensive)
3) Decline in fertility rate (the number of
children a woman has over her lifetime)
4) Reliability, accessibility, and
acceptance of birth control
Less
Number
of
people
living
in
a
house

4. Change in Age of First Marriage
1955
Males 22.5 yrs
Females 20.1 yrs
2010
Males 28.2 yrs
Females 26.1 yrs

5. In the past 30 years, the percent
of women age 20-24 who had
never married jumped from:
36% to 79% (2010)
In the past 30 years, the % of men
ages 30-34 who had never married
increased from:
6% to 36% (2010)
Change in Age of First Marriage

6. Why are people waiting longer to get married?
• Longer time in school
• Less negativity with being single
• Longer life expectancy
• Women’s career options
• Acceptance of nonmarital sexual intercourse
• Acceptance of nonmarital cohabitation

7. Mothers’ Employment Outside Home
In 2008, 77% of married women
whose youngest child was between
6 and 17 were employed.
In 2005, 64% of married women whose
youngest child was under age 6 were
employed.
More women with non school-aged children
are employed now outside the home than ever
before? Why?
Personal Fulfillment?
Higher standard of living?
Biggest reason: Financial need

8. Increase in Single Parenting
1970: 11%
Percent of children age 18 and younger
living with a single parent:
2009: 34%
What are the most significant reasons for increase in single parent families?
Divorce (over 50% of divorces involve children)
Nonmarital births (40% of all births are to unwed mothers)
1970: 4% 2009: 9%
Percentage of single parent households

9. Cohabitation
Percentage of opposite-sex couples
who planned to get married lived
together first?
1960: 10%
2005: 60%
Why are more couples choosing to
cohabitate today than 35 years ago?

10. Grandparent-headed Households
Percentage of children (0-18) living in a
grandparent-headed household
1970: 3% 2010: 10%
Why the increase in grandparent-headed households over the last 40 years?
Number of children under age 18 were
being raised by their grandparents
1970: 2.2 million 2001: 4.9 million

11. Life Expectancy
1900: 47 years 2010: Men 75 years
Women 80 years
Think about this for a minute. We’ve seen a
30+ year increase in life expectancy over the
last 100 years.
What impact do you think this has had on
family life?
How has it affected timing for marriage,
children, or grandparent and care for older
adults?