THE COURSE OF MARITAL SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN 5 AMERICAN 10-YEAR MARRIAGE COHORTS

Using a repeated cross-sectional design to trace marital success and f ailure in five American 10-year marriage cohorts from 1973 to 1994 rev eals no convincing evidence of an increase in aggregate-level marital success at any duration in the first five decades after first marriage . The higher mean level of marital quality in late-term than in mid-te rm marriages shown by cross-sectional stud ies apparently results larg ely from cohort differences in marital success.