Study co-author Sara Mernitz comments, in fact, these findings highlights what is, perhaps, an evolving role of marriage among the Millennial generation.
The Ohio State University doctoral student in human sciences goes on to note that as recently as the 1990s, young people experienced an increase in emotional health when making the transition from living together to tying the knot.
“Now,” she says, “it appears that young people, especially women, get the same emotional boost from moving in together as they do from going directly to marriage. There’s no additional boost from getting married.”
She continues, “We are able to look at people over a 10-year period and see what happens to them individually as they make these various transitions in their relationships.”
In addition, study co-author Claire Kamp Dush comments that the results of this study could, in fact, reflect the idea of cohabitation in this time is far more accepted than in generations before. Actually, two-thirds of young couples in this generation live together before marriage.
The Ohio State University associate professor of human sciences also says, “At one time marriage may have been seen as the only way for young couples to get the social support and companionship that is important for emotional health.”
She continues, “It’s not that way anymore. We’re finding that marriage isn’t necessary to reap the benefits of living together, at least when it comes to emotional health,” adding also, “The young people in our study may be selecting better partners for themselves the second time around, which is why they are seeing a drop in emotional distress.”
