That does not include children who are in foster care, in the juvenile justice system. The decline in traditional families concerns many conservatives, including Gary Glenn of the nonprofit American Family Association of Michigan in Midland. Glenn said research shows children are better off in two-parent homes. But turning the tide would be difficult because trends in marriage are tied to broad social changes, said Pamela Smock, a researcher at the U-M Population Studies Center. Smock said divorce, changing gender roles, industrialization and even birth-control pills all play a role.
People show high desires for marriage.
What has changed is the tolerance of different family norms. Young people tell us they are scared of divorce. They've seen their family go through it. Because of that, they want to co-habit to see if the relationship would be stable first. Free Press data analyst Victoria Turk contributed to this report.