| Summary: | In 1997, Louisiana enacted a covenant marriage law which gave couples an alternative to a conventional marriage license. By requiring premarital counseling and proof of fault for a subsequent divorce, along with other features, covenant marriages were intended to be more difficult both to enter and to exit. The Marriage Matters panel survey was designed to examine the effects of covenant marriage on rates of marital dissolution, relationship quality, and other outcomes. The data were collected in three waves. Wave 1 was collected approximately 3 to 6 months after marriage. Respondents were asked questions about their recent marriage, the time leading up to their recent marriage, premarital counseling, convenant marriage, previous marriages, biological and adopted children, feelings about children, their views on marriage and divorce in general, their religious views, satisfaction in marriage, household responsibilities, their background, health and happiness, their social and political views, and about the questionnaire itself. Wave 2 was administered approximately 18 months after the first wave. The second wave queried respondents on their marriage today, their views on marriage and divorce in general, their religious views, household responsibilities, satisfaction in marriage, convenant marriage, biological and adopted children, feelings about children, problems in their marriage, advice and counseling, their health and happiness, employment, housing, and income, household composition, and their social and political views. Wave 3 was administered 12 to 24 months after the second wave. Respondents answered questions on their marriage today, views about marriage and divorce in general, their religious views, household responsibilities, satisfaction in marriage, the celebration of holidays, convenant marriage, biological and adopted children, feelings about children, problems in their marriage, advice and counseling, their health and happiness, employment, housing, and income, household composition, and their social and political views. In the divorce questionnaire, the following topics were addressed: how things stand at the moment, feelings about their marriage, arguments during their marriage, social life since the separation or divorce, their health and well-being, moving to a divorce agreement, advice and counseling, the divorce process and convenant marriage, and household income the year before and after the separation. Demographic information collected across all three waves includes: age, gender, religious participation, employment status, education level, number of children birthed or adopted, household composition, and household income. Demographic information collected in Wave 1 only includes: race, religious affiliation, number of previous marriages, and political affiliation. Demographic information collected through the divorce questionnaire includes: gender, marital status, and personal and partner income.
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