Family timing in late adolescence and early adulthood: The case of southern males

Social science research and theory about familial orientations and reproductive ideals have largely neglected males' attitudes. Drawing on demographic and status attainment perspectives, this study applies a model of processes underlying marriage and family timing to longitudinal data on 288 young adult males from the Southern Youth Study. Several posited influences of family of origin factors, significant others, and adolescent status and familial aspirations on marital timing and early family growth are assessed.Development of this report was sponsored in part by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and contributes both to TAES Project H-2811 and to USDA (CSRS) Regional Research Project S-81, and in part by the Maxwell Policy Center on Aging and the All-University Gerontology Center, Syracuse University through Title IV-C Grant #90-A-1054101 from the Administration on Aging, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Information for analysis was obtained by pooling data collected under grants provided by the Agricultural Experiment Stations of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Texas. Appreciation is expressed to John Womack, Paul D. Mader, and G. David Curry for their advice at various stages of this research.