AMANDA REPORTS: Married Parents Are Crucial For Productive, Peaceful Societies
(641 WORDS) — Married parents represent a small percentage of resilient U.S. families, yet remain indispensable for healthy society, research conducted by the Barna Group shows.
“Three Research Insights on Resilient Families,” a report compiled by the Fort Worth, Texas-based Barna Group, indicates most strong families regularly practice repair rather than avoidance, seek familial support after hardship, and engage beyond the nuclear household.
An alarming statistic revealed by the survey analysis shows “only 1 in 7 married parents meet Barna’s criteria for resilience, highlighting how rare sustained family resilience is today.” Research reported by Barna’s State of the Family found that 37 percent of U.S. adults are married with children.
“The data reveals a sobering reality. Only 14 percent of married parents fall into Barna’s ‘Resilient’ category, while more than a third (36 percent) are classified as ‘Fragile.’
Because resilient families represent such a small share of the population, their experiences offer a valuable window into the conditions and practices most closely associated with family resilience.”
The data further point to a crucial resiliency builder—healthy conflict resolution—developed from biblical faith-based family practices.
Healthy conflict resolution based on shared values and beliefs involving prayer, church attendance and serving together were “some of the strongest predictors of family connection,” the report says.
An article by Aaron Earls, the senior writer at Lifeway Research, likewise notes how faith as an active part of family life can become lasting, held onto by the next generation: “Those who carried their faith into adulthood say faith was demonstrated and practiced in their home.”
Relational, emotional and spiritual indicators measured by the Barna Group’s research also found that spouses who practice open and healthy communication, plus develop a deep emotional connection in their marriage tend to sustain.
In Barna’s survey, the most resilient U.S. married adults, with children, responded at 90 percent that they make an effort to apologize to family members for poor behavior. Taking responsibility for personal behavior regardless of the consequences scored highest at 89 percent.
Moreover, the report emphasized that the most important problem-solving approach found in resilient families is the practice of personal responsibility.
Rather than avoiding strained relationships, the healthiest families practice forgiveness, think about what causes problems, and correct unhelpful decisions.
Other high-scoring restorative responses included praying for family members, regularly learning how personal actions affect family members, and being more mindful of personal actions, as a result of one’s own faith.
In addition, purposeful engagement in community or faith-based practices proved substantial as guides for helping families respond to strain.
Married adults who have children and are Christians actively participating in serving others together in group or faith-based practices outside of home, were found to maintain family resiliency.
Active engagement in church life beyond the household for strengthening resiliency rated highest at 83 percent on offering regular financial support for their church. Regular church attendance rated highest at 66 percent for strengthening family resiliency.
Also, participation in a small group Bible study or leading a Bible study served as reinforcing activities of the most durable families.
Conversely, circumstances shown to weaken resiliency are highly distressing life events. About half of married parents reported experiencing loss or trauma described as highly distressing events.
Among those having experienced highly distressing events, the most resilient at 71 percent of these U.S. adults who are married and have children, were connected to a church, religious community or religious leader.
Additional contributors were found at 32 percent who used professional resources such as a counselor, therapist, another ministry, nonprofit or rehab.
“Family resilience does not emerge by chance. Barna’s data points to a consistent set of patterns: families are more likely to remain resilient when they repair relationships after conflict, seek support during hardship and participate in shared practices that reinforce connection and purpose.
“These conditions do not eliminate strain, but they shape how families respond to it—strengthening trust, emotional stability and relational bonds over time,” the report said.
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