Welfare Reform and Marriage Promotion: The Marital Expectations and Desires of Single and Cohabiting Mothers

Abstract

Using nationally representative data, this examination of marital expectations, desires, and behaviors of single and cohabiting unmarried mothers suggests that a majority of unmarried women, including disadvantaged single and cohabiting mothers, value marriage as a personal goal. Among disadvantaged women, single mothers, and racial minority women, systematic differences point to subgroups with lower marital expectations. However, our results also indicate that marital desires do not easily translate into marriage. Accordingly, from a public policy perspective, single mothers’ attitudes about marriage need not be changed. The problem lies in identifying and reducing barriers that prevent single women from realizing marital aspirations.