Women who lost their virginity as teenagers are ‘more likely to divorce’, says new study

Women who lost their virginity as young teenagers are more likely to divorce – especially if it was unwanted, according to new research.

The University of Iowa study shows that 31 per cent of women who had sex for the first time as teens divorced within five years, and 47 per cent within 10 years.

Among women who delayed sex until adulthood, 15 per cent divorced at five years, compared to 27 per cent at 10 years.

Making a choice: The study showed if a young woman wanted to lose her virginity as a teenager, there was no direct link to a marital split later in life

The findings were published in the April issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family.

Author Anthony Paik, associate professor of sociology in the university’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, examined the responses of 3,793 married and divorced women to the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth.

The study showed, however, that if a young woman made the choice to lose her virginity as a teenager, there was no direct link to a marital split later in life.

If the sexual act took place before the age of 16 women were shown more likely to divorce, even if it was wanted.

Headed for divorce? Sex itself may not increase the probability of divorce but having a higher number of sexual partners or out-of-wedlock birth may

Thirty-one percent of women who lost their virginity during adolescence had premarital sex with multiple partners, compared to 24 per cent of those who waited.

Twenty-nine percent experienced premarital conceptions, versus 15 percent who waited.

One in four women who had sex as a teen had a baby before they were married, compared to only one in ten who waited until adulthood.

Only one per cent of women surveyed said they chose to have sex at age 13 or younger, compared to five per cent at age 14 or 15, and 10 per cent at age 16 or 17.

Forty two per cent reported that their first sexual intercourse before age 18 that was not completely wanted.

Fifty eight per cent of the group waited until age 18 or older to have sex. Of those, 22 per cent said it was unwanted, compared to 21 per cent who said it was wanted.

Researchers concluded sex itself may not increase the probability of divorce, while factors such as a higher number of sexual partners, pregnancy, or out-of-wedlock birth increased the risk for some.

Despite early research indicating sexual encounters most affected marriage outcomes, Mr Palik warned several possible explanations could not be ruled out.

He explained: ‘The results are consistent with the argument that there are down sides to adolescent sexuality, including the increased likelihood of divorce.

‘But there’s also support for the “more sex positive” view, because if a teen delays sex to late adolescence and it is wanted, that choice in itself doesn’t necessarily lead to increased risk of divorce.’

He continued, ‘One possibility is a selection explanation, that the women who had sex as adolescents were predisposed to divorce. The attitudes that made them feel OK about having sex as teens may have also influenced the outcome of their marriage.

‘The other possibility is a causal explanation – that the early sexual experience led to the development of behaviours or beliefs that promote divorce,’ adding, ‘If the sex was not completely wanted or occurred in a traumatic context, it’s easy to imagine how that could have a negative impact on how women might feel about relationships, or on relationship skills.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2003700/Women-lost-virginity-teenagers-likely-divorce-says-new-study.html?printingPage=true

Saving sex for marriage leads to greater stability, communication

Couples who reserve sex for marriage enjoy greater stability and communication in their relationships, say researchers at Brigham Young University.

A new study from the Mormon college found that those couples who waited until marriage rated their relationship stability 22 percent higher than those who started having sex in the early part of their relationship. The relationship satisfaction was 20 percent higher for those who waited, the sexual quality of the relationship was 5 percent better, and communication was 12 percent better.

The study, published in the American Psychological Association’s Journal of Family Psychology, involved 2,035 married individuals who participated in a popular online marital assessment called “RELATE.” From the assessment’s database, researchers selected a sample designed to match the demographics of the married American population. The extensive questionnaire included the question “When did you become sexual in this relationship?”

Couples that became sexually involved later in their relationship – but prior to marriage – reported benefits that were about half as strong as those who waited for marriage.

“Most research on the topic is focused on individuals’ experiences and not the timing within a relationship,” said lead study author Dean Busby, a professor at Brigham Young University’s School of Family Life.

The study was co-authored by BYU professors Jason Carroll and Brian Willoughby.

“There’s more to a relationship than sex, but we did find that those who waited longer were happier with the sexual aspect of their relationship,” Busby added. “I think it’s because they’ve learned to talk and have the skills to work with issues that come up.”

Sociologist Mark Regnerus of the University of Texas at Austin, who was not involved in the study, responded to its findings, saying that “couples who hit the honeymoon too early – that is, prioritize sex promptly at the outset of a relationship – often find their relationships underdeveloped when it comes to the qualities that make relationships stable and spouses reliable and trustworthy.” Regnerus is the author of Premarital Sex in America, a book forthcoming from Oxford University Press.

Because religious belief often plays a role for couples who choose to wait, Busby and his co-authors controlled for the influence of religious involvement in their analysis.

“Regardless of religiosity, waiting helps the relationship form better communication processes, and these help improve long-term stability and relationship satisfaction,” Busby said.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/saving-sex-for-marriage-leads-to-greater-stability-communication

Basic instinct: Women take just three minutes to make up their mind about Mr Right

They say you should never judge a book by its cover.

But when it comes to the opposite sex, it seems that’s exactly what women do.

It takes a woman just three minutes to make up her mind about whether she likes a man or not, a study has revealed.

The average female spends the time sizing up looks, physique and dress-sense as well as taking in scent, accent and eloquence of a potential suitor.

Women also quickly judge how he interacts with her friends and whether he is successful or ambitious.

Speed dating: A man has just three minutes to impress a woman before she makes up her mind about him based on looks and manners

It also emerged most women believe 180 seconds is long enough to gauge whether or not he is Mr Right, or Mr Wrong.

The study also found women rarely change their mind about a man after their initial reaction – and believe they are ‘always right’ in their assumptions and judgments.

The report which was commissioned among 3,000 adults to mark the release of Instinct, a new book by Ben Kay.

Kay said: ‘I think a lot of people believe in trusting their instincts when dating. It makes it seem more magical, like it’s coming from somewhere deeper.

‘But it’s surprising how quickly women make a decision. That’s barely enough time to finish a drink together.

‘It’s interesting that so many women trust their instincts and yet still give men the opportunity to change their minds.

‘Some men might think this is leading them on but I would imagine most women just want to give every bloke a fair shot.’

Researchers found women will quickly dismiss a man who they feel is ‘too cocky’ or ‘too needy’.

He will also be rejected if he isn’t nice to people, doesn’t appear to earn enough and if he has nothing in common with the woman.

The study also found most women trust their instincts and believe they came into play when they were playing attractive traits.

But despite this 88 per cent said their instincts were right and they should have trusted them.

Both men and women said they rely on their instincts when making decisions with

84 per cent admitting their instincts take precedence over everything else with important and life changing ones.

Forty five per cent said they often acted out of character when they met someone new and acted ‘crazy’ but that they trusted their instincts that they would be alright

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1340868/Basic-instinct-Women-just-minutes-make-mind-Mr-Right.html?printingPage=true

 

A Marshall Plan for Marriage – Rebuilding Our Shattered Homes

 

Marriage in America is in serious trouble. More Americans are cohabitating, fewer are marrying, and if they do wed it is at a much later age than previous generations. Although divorce rates have declined slightly over the past 20 years, pervasive no-fault divorce laws allow marital dissolution to continue plaguing American communities. Four out of 10 children are now born outside of marriage, increasing government dependence by leaving thousands more children without the social and economic stability of married households.

 

Given the profound impact of intact, married families on child well-being, efforts to encourage and strengthen marriage are urgently needed. Just as the U.S. formulated a plan to help European countries recover after World War II, national leaders should implement a new Marshall Plan – one that rebuilds American homes and restores a culture of marriage. In a new Heritage paper, Senior Research Fellow Chuck Donovan describes the state of marriage in America and outlines a number of principles national leaders can follow to better encourage and support stable families:

 

1. Eliminate marriage penalties from federal programs. Married couples tend to be better off financially than their single or cohabitating counterparts. Policymakers should encourage such beneficial economic decisions by removing financial disincentives to marriage from tax and welfare policies.
2. Encourage pro-marriage messaging in existing government programs and other resources. Repurposing existing government initiatives and grant programs to promote strong marriages and initiating media campaigns that encourage matrimony can expand public awareness of marriage’s social and economic benefits.
3. # 3 Implement state-driven divorce reform that encourages reconciliation. The cost of divorce to taxpayers and communities is high. States should reform existing divorce laws to recognize and accommodate the many divorcing couples who are open to counseling and reconciliation efforts.
4. Study, recognize, and reward success in marriage. Given the significant cost savings to taxpayers when marriages succeed, national leaders should find new ways to acknowledge success in marriage and recognize the power of civic leadership in publicly extolling the many benefits of marriage.

 

The nation’s leaders must make a concerted effort to address family dissolution and marital breakdown. As Donovan concludes, “Halting and reversing the sustained trends of nearly four decades will not happen by accident. The nation needs to forge a fresh American consensus that rescuing marriage – a Marshall Plan to rebuild shattered American homes – is a matter of the highest national priority.”

http://blog.heritage.org/2011/06/09/a-marshall-plan-for-marriage-%E2%80%93-rebuilding-our-shattered-homes/

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2011/06/A-Marshall-Plan-for-Marriage-Rebuilding-Our-Shattered-Homes?query=A+Marshall+Plan+for+Marriage:+Rebuilding+Our+Shattered+Homes

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2004/03/Marriage-Still-the-Safest-Place-For-Women-and-Children