Reports on Family and Relationships

Reports are listed in reverse chronological order.

Inside the Middle Class: Bad Times Hit the Good Life
9 Apr 08 Americans feel stuck in their tracks. Most survey respondents say that in the past five years, they either haven’t moved forward in life (25%) or have fallen backward (31%) -- the most downbeat assessment in nearly half a century of polling by the Pew Research Center and the Gallup organization. But at the same time, two-thirds say they have a higher standard of living than their parents had.

Modern Marriage
18 Jul 07 What makes a marriage work? A new Pew survey finds that "sharing household chores" has moved way up on the charts.

Fewer Mothers Prefer Full-time Work: From 1997 to 2007
12 Jul 07 In the span of the past decade, full-time work outside the home has lost some of its appeal to mothers. This trend holds for both those who have such jobs and those who don't.

As Marriage and Parenthood Drift Apart, Public Is Concerned about Social Impact: Generation Gap in Values, Behaviors
1 Jul 07 At a time when nearly four-in-ten births in this country are to an unmarried mother, the public says unwed parenting is a big problem for society. But Americans are far less inclined now than a generation ago to say children are important to a successful marriage, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

Being Dad May Be Tougher These Days, but Working Moms are among Their Biggest Fans
13 Jun 07 Most people agree that it is harder to be a father now than it was 20 or 30 years ago, yet the verdict is mixed on how well today's dads measure up -- about half of the public says they're doing a worse job when compared with fathers a generation ago. But, a majority (56%) of women say today's dads are handling their fatherly duties as well or better than in the past.

Four-in-Ten Americans Have Close Friends or Relatives Who are Gay: Survey finds Familiarity Is Closely Linked to Greater Tolerance
23 May 07 A new survey also finds that those with homosexual or lesbian relatives or friends are more likely to accept gay marriage and oppose the firing of gay teachers.

Motherhood Today: Tougher Challenges, Less Success: Mom's Biggest Critics are Middle-Aged Women
2 May 07 From managing busy schedules to dealing with outside influences, mothers have their hands full these days - and middle-aged women are their sharpest critics. At the same time, fully 70% of the public says it's harder to be a mother today than it was 20 or 30 years ago; somewhat fewer (60%) say the same about being a father.

Most Americans Moderately Upbeat About Family Finances in 2007
4 Jan 07 Most Americans are moderately upbeat about their family's financial prospects in the coming year, with 57% expecting some improvement in their financial situation and another 10% expecting a lot of improvement, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

Calling Mom on Mother's Day. And the Day Before. And the Day After.
9 May 06 The traditional holiday phone call to mom may not have the impact it once had- not because fewer sons and daughters remember to call, but because more are already talking to mom every other day of the year.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner: 22% of Americans Have a Relative in a Mixed-Race Marriage
14 Mar 06 One in five Americans (22%) now has a close relative married to someone of a different race.

Gauging Family Intimacy: Dogs Edge Cats (Dads Trail Both)
7 Mar 06 Most dog and cat owners think of their pets as family. Almost all describe their relationship to their pets as "close." Dear old dad doesn't fare quite as well.

Who's Feeling Rushed?
28 Feb 06 If you want to find out who's always feeling starved for time, just ask a working mom.

Families Drawn Together By Communication Revolution: As Family Forms Change, Bonds Remain Strong
21 Feb 06 A Social Trends Report

Baby Boomers: From the Age of Aquarius to the Age of Responsibility
8 Dec 05 As the oldest of the nation's 75 million baby boomers approach the age of 60, a Pew Research Center survey finds many are looking ahead to their own retirement while balancing a full plate of family responsibilities - either raising minor children or providing financial and other forms of support to adult children or to aging parents.