What is Marriage Matters? 

Marriage Matters is an ongoing research project that is designed to find out what makes new marriages strong and healthy.

Who is conducting the research? 

Marriage Matters is a cooperative project located at the University of Virginia and at Tulane University. The project is under the direction of Dr. Steven Nock (University of Virginia), Dr. James Wright (Tulane University), and Dr. Laura Sanchez (Tulane University).

 How can I get in touch with Marriage Matters? 

Call us at our toll-free telephone number 1-877-682-8212. There is no charge for this call. We have a small staff, so your call may be answered by our answering service. Please leave a message. Someone will return your call within the day.

You can mail us at the following address:

Marriage Matters

2 Dawsons Row

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA 22903

Who is participating in the study? 

There are 750 newly married couples involved in this project. In almost all cases, both the husband and the wife are particpating in the project. In all, about 1,500 people have agreed to be involved. All participants in the study live in Louisiana. The reason we are interested in Louisiana is because the state has two forms of marriage. Some people in Louisiana get married in covenant marriages, and others get married in standard marriages. Every newly married couple decides which type of marriage they will have. Covenant marriages require premarital counseling, and have stricter requirements for divorce than standard marriages do. About half of the participants in our study will be in covenant marriages, and the other half in standard marriages.

What is required of participants? 

Every participant in the study will complete three questionnaires in the next five years. Each questionnaire is approximately 35 pages long, and requires about an hour to complete.

What will be done with the results? 

Researchers will use the results of the study to determine how couples manage the changes that occur in marriage. We are especially interested to learn how husbands and wives deal with changes, such as the birth of children, or relocating for a new job. The results of our study will help marriage counselors, ministers, priests, rabbis, social workers, and others who help married couples deal with change in their relationships.

Who is paying for the research? 

Marriage Matters is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and a private charitable foundation.

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