Candidates for IFS Friday Five

1. Is Your Marriage a Conspiracy Against the World?

Nicole Ruiz and Leah Libresco Sargeant







2. The decisions we should make





3. No one should have to win the financial or legal lottery to become a parent.

https://wapo.st/4cgC2M2 

OR

Extreme inequality is commonplace, so why do people accept it?





4. Michael J. McManus, syndicated columnist of ‘The Northern Perspective,’ ‘Solutions’ and ‘Ethics & Religion’ dies at 85

Author of Marriage Savers and Community Marriage Policies

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/michael-j-mcmanus-syndicated-columnist,262623





5. Building the Benedict Option

Restoring the Social Order Within Our Homes and Churches - Part III

https://instituteofcatholicculture.org/events/building-the-benedict-option/video/1221622779





6. Do You Compare Yourself to Your Partner? It’s Not All Bad

 Zachary Reese







9. Generation AI starts early symposium

9/9 @9am 

https://www.brookings.edu/events/generation-ai-starts-early-symposium/







10. Appropriated racial oppression shapes Black parents’ socialization of children

Sharita Forrest

https://news.illinois.edu/appropriated-racial-oppression-shapes-black-parents-socialization-of-children/




11. Dolly Parton and Carl Dean’s love story: Inside their 60-year relationship

Brianna Zigler

https://ew.com/dolly-parton-and-carl-dean-inside-their-60-year-love-story-12068031




12. Young people still see marriage as ‘ultimate sign of commitment’

Obianuju Mbah










Candidates for IFS Friday Five





2. The World’s Best Managers with Emily Oster

https://earlychildhoodmatters.online/birth-of-a-parent-podcast/





3. Healthy Relationships Florida partners with churches and relationship-education organizations

https://healthyrelationshipsflorida.org/partner





4.  Harmonies of Taste: Shared Music Preferences and Compatibility in Romantic Relationships

 Julia Vigl, Felix Lene Ihrig, Miriam Greif, and Marcel Zentner






5. Love Without Becoming the Therapist: How to Support a Traumatized Partner ...

By Calvin Larkin Tanne


John S. Collier, MSW, LCSW-S 

https://sekybh.com/tag/intentionality/




7. Registration for Winshape 2027 retreats is officially LIVE!

 https://marriage.winshape.org/upcoming-events/



8. The spatial distribution of the U.S. childfree population: Does state context matter?

Zachary P. Neal ,Jennifer Watling Neal






9. Fatherhood and motherhood reshape the importance people place on marriage, according to a study






10. Most U.S. adults have lived with a romantic partner they’re not married to by their early 40s






Lexi DeHart





Thanks
Bill

Candidates for IFS Friday Five

1. Conjoint Exercise among young married couples: Exploring associations with couple conflict, conflict resolution, and communication

OR 





2. Watching TV Together Can Bring Couples Closer

David Haruvi, Yael Bar‐Shachar, and Eran Bar‐Kalifa





3. Brothers and sisters

 Anatoly Liberman





4. The Secret To Lasting Love May Be Hidden In Mathematical Equations

Laurent Pujo-Menjouet (University of Lyon I)

https://studyfinds.com/the-secret-to-lasting-love-mathematical-equations/




5. The 5 R’s for Easing Back-to-School Stress

Rachel Glik Ed.D., LPC for PT

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/creating-soulful-connections/202608/the-5-rs-for-easing-back-to-school-stress




6. Student loan borrowers face steeper ‘marriage penalty’ under new repayment plan

Annie Nova

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/10/student-loan-marriage-penalty-rap.html





7. ‘Ring By Spring’: A View Into Christian College Dating Culture

Cassidy Grom

https://religionunplugged.com/news/ring-by-spring-break-christian-college-experience




8. More young Korean women are saying 'I do' as their marriage concerns ease


https://collectivekindness.net/academy/newlyweds-course



10. The objectives of pastoral accompaniment for married couples in the first years of married life in the light of the documents Amoris Laetitia and Catechumenal Pathways for Married Life

Jacek Goleń, Julia Gorbaniuk






‌

Candidates for IFS Friday Five

1. Beyond Reassurance: How Commitment Creates Relationship Security

Brooklynn Garcia and 

https://decidetocommit.com/beyond-reassurance-how-commitment-creates-relationship-security/






2. Too much information or not enough? How self-disclosure in online dating profiles influences attraction and relationship intentions

Birnbaum, G.E., Refaeli, Y., Zholtack, K. et al

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-026-09787-y




3. U.S. Instates Military Wife Draft





4. Forever Love with Calvin Copeland

https://www.lightsource.com/ministry/forever-love/series/the-national-alliance-for-relationship-and-marriage-education-narme




5. Free therapy course prepares Florida clinicians to better serve youth and families

Child and Family Studies, College News





6. Being a mother affects health more than being a father

Anna Barbuscia







7. Benefits of middle school program trickle down to next generation

by Aaron Wagner, Pennsylvania State University

https://phys.org/news/2026-07-benefits-middle-school-trickle-generation.html




8. Regulations Are Keeping Families Smaller Than They Want to Be

Anna Claire Flowers, Vincent Geloso, Clara Piano, Lyman Stone

https://www.city-journal.org/article/childcare-regulations-fertility-families




9. Family Structure, a Key Factor Hidden in Plain Sight: The Case for Federal Reporting in Education

Ian V. Rowe, Brad Wilcox, Grant Bailey


 Marilyn La Jeunesse





Thanks
Bill
rainy day in OBX




Candidates for IFS Friday Five

1. New York’s Child Welfare Agency Launches Plan to Involve More Fathers in Their Children’s Lives




2. Together but Alone: Understanding Silent Divorce





3. Families Under Pressure: The State of Family Life

 Elizabeth Raws, Eren Ince, Narendra Bhalla,  Emily Blackshaw and Rosemary Spillman







4. “The most important thing is forgiveness”: Chair of Marriage Care reflects on the ingredients for a strong relationship

Roger Carr-Jones, Chair of Marriage Care

https://zenit.org/2026/07/10/the-most-important-thing-is-forgiveness-chair-of-marriage-care-reflects-on-the-ingredients-for-a-strong-relationship/




5. A Blueprint for Connection: Mapping Interconnected Patterns of Relationship Change in Couples Using the Agapé App †

by 
Ronald D. Rogge
 1,2,*,
Jenna A. Macri
 1,
Khadesha Okwudili
 2 and
Dev Crasta
  

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/16/7/1182




6.  Romantic Relationships and Socioeconomic Status as Independent Predictors of Health and Wellbeing: Evidence From the United States and Spain

 Inmaculada Valor-Segura1 , Mar´ıa Alonso-Ferres1 and Hannah C. Williamson2







7. Psychologist tips to reduce children's screen time


https://www.corowafreepress.com.au/news/psychologist-tips-to-reduce-childrens-screen-time/

OR

What AIFS' family formation research could mean for early childhood education and care

Fiona Alston





8. What's Behind the Rise of the Beta Mom







9. You can now get marriage advice from your car






Back in early August
Bill


Candidates for IFS Friday Five

1. Across Cultures, One Key to Happiness Stands Out

Tim Lomas







2. 2025 Survey of Income and Program Participation






3. Why Forgiveness Is Good for Your Health

Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas






4. Can Family and Friends Make or Break a Marriage?

Rosie Shrout

https://spsp.org/news/character-and-context-blog/shrout-family-friends-marriage-stability




5. Lord Bailey on the rich keeping marriage for themselves





6. "Dating, Relationships, and Mental Well-Being"

The Dibble Institute, in conjunction with the Senate Mental Health Caucus, invites you to a congressional briefing on "Dating, Relationships, and Mental Well-Being.”

Wednesday, August 5th, 2026.
Lunch and learn from 12:00-1:00 pm.
Russell Senate Office Building, Room 188.





7. [HTML] Economic Costs and Benefits of the Digital OurRelationship Program for Distressed Couples

BD Doss, S Guttman, M Metser‐Waldman, N Ajmera… - Family Process, 2026















10. [PDF] A Longitudinal Examination of Sexual Functioning and Relationship Adjustment in Couples with Infertility

M Uhlich, ZD Peterson - The Journal of Sex Research, 2026





11. FOR THE LOVE OF RELATIONSHIPS – Healthy Marriage: A Pathway to Human Flourishing

Joneen Mackenzie






Candidates for IFS Friday Five # 617

1.The Stability Advantage

Marriage Foundation research director Dr Harry Benson


OR

[PDF] The Timing of Marriage and Union Dissolution


H Benson - Marriage, 2026





2. Behaviors Associated With Improved Relationship Satisfaction: Examining Change in the Relationship Checkup
Erica A Mitchell 1,✉, Patricia N E Roberson 2, Desirée S Woodle 3, James V Cordova 4, Kristina Coop Gordon 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13282717/



3. Call for Papers: Health Communication

Submit your research to a Special Issue on Digital Mental Health: The Intersection of Information, Media Technology, Mental Health, and Communicative Processes.

Manuscript Deadline: 31 July 2026

Find out more




4. Sustainable marriage: A longitudinal assessment of the styles of marital relationships and marital quality of long-lasting married couples in Switzerland

Olga Ganjour
 &
Eric D. Widmer






5. Couple Relationships and Interaction During Pregnancy: A Comprehensive Review of Key Relational Dynamics
Yujia Huang 1,A,E,F, Xueni Xiao 1,E,F, Chaojun Shan 2,3,E,F, Chuanya Huang 

7. Family expectations reduce the risk of postpartum depression among mothers but not fathers












9. [PDF] Romantic Relationships and Socioeconomic Status as Independent Predictors of Health and Wellbeing: Evidence From the United States and Spain

I Valor-Segura, M Alonso-Ferres, HC Williamson - Journal of Social and Personal …, 2026




10. The role of parental control apps and parental knowledge in adolescents' sleep-related screen use: A nationwide study





11.  Have rising living standards pushed marriage out of reach?

Rachel Sheffield:   TribLive

https://community.triblive.com/news/4083896



12. The surprising factor shaping young Australians' family plans

 Mikele Syron, SBS News























































Candidates for IFS Friday Five

1. General call for submissions

Applied Studies in Emerging Adulthood welcomes submissions



OR

What you need to know before sharing your child’s life online


By Efua Andoh


https://www.apa.org/monitor/2026/06/parents-children-sharing-online





2. When Love Lives in Two Places: The Work of Loving Across Distance





4. Couple's conflict among veterans seeking PTSD treatment

EP Barden, M Zegel, J Dunham, FO Nomamiukor… - Military Psychology, 2026










6. Diversifying research on the transition to parenthood: Recruitment of a sample of ethnic minority, low-income prenatal couples.

HC Williamson, PH Chen, D Esquivel Cantu, N Garcia… - Couple and Family …, 2026






7. [HTML] Intimate Relationship Types as Quality-of-Life Predictors in Emerging Adulthood

P Baboš, G Bianchi, I Lukšík - Human Affairs, 2026





8. Love Apocalypse: New Intimacies and the Decline of Marriage and Fertility

H Härkönen, S Volsche, A Romanowicz, I Torras… - 2026




9. 

Depressive and anxiety symptoms in mothers and fathers and child socioemotional outcomes: A nationwide Canadian study


Mark Wade a, Lydia M Li a, Elisabeth Wright b c, Flavia Marini d, Rahman Shiri e, Simone Vigod b c, Hilary K. Brown f g, Sophie Grigoriadis b h, Alessandra Prioreschi i, Stephen Matthews j, Cindy-Lee Dennis b d k







10. Sustainable marriage: A longitudinal assessment of the styles of marital relationships and marital quality of long-lasting married couples in Switzerland

Olga Ganjour
 &
Eric D. Widmer







11. Can You and Your Partner Build a Life Together?

Dr. Gary W. Lewandowski Jr.





12. The costly retreat from marriage and family







13. How Fathers Spend Time With Their Children

https://www.childtrends.org/publications/fathers-spend-time-children



Thanks
Bill


Candidates for IFS Friday Five

1. ACF's National Research Conference on Early Childhood 2026 (6/22-24)

Virtual App and Livestream




2. 

Look up poverty rates in your local area






3. Landmark study exposes catastrophic “systemic underestimation” of the importance of marriage

Alistair Thompson - The Editor


Kim Nam-myung

https://en.sedaily.com/finance/2026/06/10/korea-moves-to-scrap-marriage-penalty-that-delayed




5. Using Active Listening to Build Stronger Two-Parent Households and Improve TANF Participant Outcomes

PeerTA Resources (OFA Initiatives)




6. How to support young people on the road to adulthood


By Zara Abrams






7.  Happily Ever After? Singles’ Expectations of Romantic Relationships Are Associated With Singlehood Satisfaction and Future Romantic Outcomes

 Tayler Wells, Elaine Hoan, and Geoff MacDonald




OR


Inspiring Better Relationships? The Role of Trait Charisma in Conflict Resolution and Romantic Relationship Satisfaction

 Eric Tu, Haeyoung Gideon Park, Stephanie Raposo, Rhonda N. Balzarini, Emily A. Impett, Cheryl Harasymchuk and Amy Muise







8. 

Is a happy marriage a double-edged sword for biological aging? Preliminary evidence for the moderating role of couples’ health behaviors


Stephanie J. Wilson a, Annelise A. Madison b, M. Rosie Shrout c, Lisa M. Christian d e, Elissa S. Epel f, Christin E. Burd g, Jue Lin h, Samuel H. Molli a, Rebecca Andridge i, Harry T. Reis j, Janice K. Kiecolt-Glaser d e

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889159126006173





9. Limited Blog Series: The Power of Accountability in Fathering

Christopher A. Brown  President of National Fatherhood Initiative® (NFI)





10. Ohio Spends $122M Preventing Out-of-Wedlock Babies, Starves Marriage Support

https://www.ccv.org/news/ohio-spends-122m-preventing-out-of-wedlock-babies-starves-marriage-support





11. How to Flourish: What Research Tells Us
  • Human Flourishing Program Team

https://hfh.fas.harvard.edu/post/how-to-flourish





12. Why fatherhood matters more than ever before

Professor of Psychology, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences





Thanks.
Bill


Candidates for IFS Friday Five

1. Mental health: although screens can play a negative role, more than 6 out of 10 people turn to artificial intelligence for psychological support




2.  Happily Ever After? Singles’ Expectations of Romantic Relationships Are Associated With Singlehood Satisfaction and Future Romantic Outcomes

 Tayler Wells, Elaine Hoan, and Geoff MacDonald





3. [PDF] The timing of marriage and risk of union dissolution among first-time parents in the UK

H Benson - 2026
… marriage and its timing, using these patterns as potential indicators of underlying
dedication. Findings show that half of the couples were married before conception,





4. Dyadic Strengths-based Appreciation Intervention for Siblings: Improving Relationship Quality and Well-being

Hadassah Littman-Ovadia

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41042-026-00292-y



5. Call her normal? What Americans think about sex and marriage

https://yougov.com/en-us/articles/54873-call-her-normal-what-americans-think-about-sex-and-marriage



6. How Marriage Changes Over Time: 4 Stages Every Couple Should Know

Alyssa Arellano 


https://extension.usu.edu/strongermarriage/blog/how-marriage-changes-over-time-4-stages-every-couple-should-know




7. The Working-Class Marriage Decline: How Higher Expectations and Shifting Norms, Not Wages, Are the Main Cause

Rachel Sheffield

https://www.heritage.org/marriage-and-family/report/the-working-class-marriage-decline-how-higher-expectations-and-shifting




8.  TIES THAT HEAL OR HURT: MARITAL ADJUSTMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH

 Debasmita Basu, Debisha Dey, Arghadeep Ghosh 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Debisha-Dey/publication/405133423_Chapter_5_TIES_THAT_HEAL_OR_HURT_MARITAL_ADJUSTMENT_AND_MENTAL_HEALTH/links/6a0fdbafe93d46191596b75b/Chapter-5-TIES-THAT-HEAL-OR-HURT-MARITAL-ADJUSTMENT-AND-MENTAL-HEALTH.pdf




9. [PDF] WHAT MAKES MEN MARRIAGEABLE?

RR Xu - 2026, UVA

This paper focuses on the attributes of marriageable men, particularly in the US.
Rooted in psychological and sociological evidence, I will articulate five
characteristics of men that are strongly conducive to long-lasting marital satisfaction
for their spouses and therefore make them marriageable





10. How Do U.S. Men and Women Spend Their Time?

Kiley Hurst, Nick Zanetti, John Carlo MandapatandReem Nadeem





11. Examining Trends in California’s Birth Rates

Hans Johnson, Julien Lafortune, and Eric McGhee






12. How do location-sharing apps impact relationships?

Brian Mackey: From Illinois Public Media




13. Simple Family Routines May Be the Secret to a Smoother Start at School

By Aaron Wagner, Penn State




Thanks
Bill