122: Why is Marriage So Important
Podcast Guest: Brad Wilcox
March 3rd , 2025
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In this Episode
In this episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, Dr. Liz Hale and Dr. Dave Schramm sit down with Dr. Brad Wilcox, professor of sociology and Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia. Dr. Wilcox shares compelling research on why marriage matters more today than ever before. They explore key benefits of marriage, including emotional support, financial stability, child well-being, and community strength. He also discusses challenges couples face, such as cohabitation risks, communication struggles, and shifting cultural attitudes toward commitment. This episode provides practical insights for couples navigating the complexities of modern relationships and offers hope for those seeking to build a strong, lasting marriage.
“The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of the Utah Marriage Commission.”
Time Markers
00:04 - Welcome & Guest Introduction
Meet Dr. Brad Wilcox and his research on marriage and family.
02:20 - Why Marriage Matters in Utah & Beyond
Marriage stability and its impact on children and society.
05:22 - Five Key Predictors of Marital Success
The “Five C’s” that contribute to happy, stable marriages.
09:55 - The Role of Protection in Marriage
How men and women value different aspects of protection in relationships.
12:50 - Marriage & Modern Challenges
Why marriage is more important now than ever, despite societal changes.
16:46 - Struggles Facing Young Couples
Balancing work, emotional labor, and commitment in modern marriages.
19:47 - The Dangers of Cohabitation
Why living together before marriage can create long-term challenges.
23:33 - Building Stronger Relationships Through Intentionality
Slow and intentional dating leads to healthier marriages.
27:52 - Should You Stay Together for the Kids?
How marriage stability benefits children and why long-term commitment matters.
33:51 - Overcoming Common Relationship Struggles
Practical tips for couples experiencing conflict and disconnection.
40:27 - Hope for Remarriage & Blended Families
Insights on navigating second marriages and stepfamily challenges.
43:01 - Where to Learn More
Resources, books, and research from Dr. Brad Wilcox.
44:00 - The Key to a Stronger Marriage Connection
The power of communication, emotional regulation, and appreciation.
45:20 - Final Takeaway: Prioritizing Family Over Career
Why relationships, not career success, lead to long-term happiness.
Insights
Brad’s
I think the one extra thing that I would that I would say is just trying to understand and appreciate kind of how you bring something unique to your marriage and family, and how, your spouse brings something unique to I think part of the challenge today is that in a more egalitarian age like ours, there can be kind of like competition or resentment around things not being exactly 5050, you know, in a marriage or family, and trying to just cultivate a sense of like, my wife does this, you know so much better than I do or vice my husband does that. You know so much better than I do. So just cultivating a sense of appreciation for the distinctive gifts and talents that your spouse brings, and expressing that gratitude for those gifts and talents on regular basis.
Liz’z
Just say no to cohabiting and just say yes to getting married and staying married.
Dave’s
It's just a simple message earlier that you talked about, but you know what relation all relationships are going to have struggles. And we talked a little bit about intentionality, right where there it is choosing what to focus on, what to look at, what to text, how to respond. It's more of a kind of a slowing down, learning to respond, instead of react so quickly to things that are going on in the in the relationship, and to offer couples hope. You know, there's hope and happiness. We talk a lot about some doom and gloom, maybe some challenges and struggles that a lot of couples feel, but I really feel like there is, there is hope, sticking to the the basics, some of the basics that we've talked about, holding true to those, to those virtues, or those, those foundational principles. I think that that you've been taught, or maybe haven't been taught in the home, but you can be a transitional character.
About Brad:
Brad Wilcox is Melville Foundation Jefferson Scholars Foundation University Professor of Sociology and Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, Future of Freedom Fellow at the Institute for Family Studies, and a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. The author of Get Married: Why Americans Should Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families and Save Civilization (Harper Collins, 2024), Wilcox studies marriage, fatherhood, and the impact of strong and stable families on men, women, and children.
Professor Wilcox is the author and coauthor of six books and has written for scientific journals such as The American Sociological Review and The Journal of Marriage and Family, as well as popular outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and National Review.
With Nicholas H. Wolfinger, Wilcox is the co-author of Soul Mates: Religion, Sex, Love, and Marriage Among African Americans and Latinos (Oxford, 2016), which shines a spotlight on the lives of strong and happy minority couples. He is also the coauthor of Gender and Parenthood: Biological and Social Scientific Perspectives (Columbia, 2013) with Kathleen Kovner Kline. His research has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, National Review Online, NPR, NBC’s The Today Show, and many other media outlets. Wilcox consults regularly with companies such as Nestle, Procter & Gamble, and Kimberly-Clark on fertility and marriage trends in the United States.
As an undergraduate, Wilcox was a Jefferson Scholar at the University of Virginia (’92) and later earned his Ph.D. from Princeton University. Prior to coming to the University of Virginia, he held research fellowships at Princeton University, Yale University, and the Brookings Institution.
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