The Uncertain Relation between Early Marriage and Marital Stability: A Quest for Relevant Data

Fragmentary data offer some support for the following propositions: (1) in the US early marriage is associated with relatively low SES; (2) early marriage is associated with a relatively high rate of marital instability; (3) relatively low SES is associated with a relatively high rate of marital instability; (4) in an UMc suburb, mean/average familial functionality (ie, functionality of the extended kin network) is higher among Jews than among non-Jews; & (5) under normal conditions in an UMc suburb early age at marriage is associated with living with kin. Remaining to be examined is the hypothesis that rate of marital instability is lower among extended fam's of high functionality than among those of low functionality. If this can be shown, it seems likely that early marriage is conducive to marital instability only under conditions of low functionality, whether it is the result of (a) a lack of available kin, (b) a lack of resources among the available kin, &/or (c) a lack of a norm prescribing that material & emotional support be extended to young married couoles. AA.