The Family in the Structure of Values of Young People

Abstract

Despite the fact that the family is extremely significant in the system of values of young people (in Russia), the number of divorces is increasing in this population group. Our analysis of this contradiction establishes that young people need to be specially prepared for family life. The paper presents the results of a large empirical study conducted in eight regions in various federal districts of Russia. The study covered a representative sample of over 7,000 respondents from two-parent and one-parent families, families with one to two children and large families; they were inhabitants of large and small Russian cities and villages. The study showed that (a) the family is of primary importance in the formation of young people’s values. (b) Most respondents believe that a family is an indispensable condition for happiness. (c) Most respondents believe that one should be specially prepared for family life. (d) Only a third of respondents believe that a school course on family issues could solve this problem. (e) Most respondents noted that their parental families failed to be role models. (f) Young people’s reproductive attitudes, which mainly involve having two or three children, do not correspond to actual modern demographic statistics. (g) More than half of the respondents approve of common-law marriages. (h) But the young people were less tolerant of births out of wedlock. (i) Mothers had the greatest influence on young people as they were growing up. (j) Fathers took second place, with a large gap between them and mothers. (k) The generalized portraits of mothers and fathers were entirely positive; that is, there were no negative characteristics. (k) The most popular adjectives used to describe both mothers and fathers were the following: kind, dependable, caring, responsible, family-oriented, and smart.