Ties expected to bind couples for life seem to be made out of Velcro these days, claims Minnesota family therapist Bill Doherty. In part, that's why 1970s couples came up with the idea of living together, to test the waters before tying the knot, a fledgling trend that became a flood. But cohabiting isn't working any better than marriage vows to create lasting unions, studies now show. Nor is marital therapy.
Some researchers are convinced they've come up with the answer.
Follow-up studies of participating couples, for up to five years, are showing promising results. Some parents and grandparents present them as wedding gifts to young couples. The Washington, D.C.-based coalition serves as a clearing house to help people locate and select marriage education courses. Sollee is not alone. Obviously, Sollee and her colleagues have their work cut out for them.