Attitudes toward marriage, divorce, and remarriage: a comparison of college students

Abstract

A total of 182 students attending Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University were sampled by means of a questionnaire in an effort to study their attitudes towards marriage, divorce and remarriage after divorce.

The questionnaire was composed of: The McGuire-White short-form index of social status; items concerning personal and family background variables; Hill's "Favorableness of Attitude towards Marriage" Scale; the Locke-Wallace short form marital adjustment scale; Thurston's "Attitude toward Divorce" Scale; Hardy's "Divorce Opinionnaire"; and an "Attitude towards Remarriage" scale developed by this investigator.

Total scores were compiled for each subject for attitudes towards marriage, divorce, and remarriage after divorce.

The following variables were found to be statistically significantly related: 1. Attitude toward marriage and A. Attendance at religious services; B. Perceived effect of religion on the subject's life; C. Population area, or place of residence; D. Subject's perception of parental marital happiness; 2. Attitude toward divorce and A. Attendance at religious services; B. Subject's perception of parental marital happiness; 3. Attitude toward remarriage and A. Attendance at religious services B. Subject's perception of parent's marital happiness; C. Age of child at time of breakup of parents' marriage.

Variables found to be not significantly related to attitudes toward marriage, divorce, and remarriage were sex, socio-economic status, and length of the parents' marriage at the time of the divorce or separation.