CCC 28-4_LR

NEWS & NOTES outside of marriage has remained largely unchanged. According to an anal ysis by the Institute for Family Studies, approximately 40% of U.S. births in 2025 (about 1.44 million infants) were to unmarried mothers. While this fig ure has not risen in recent years, it still represents a substantial proportion of all births. The analysis found that, compared with infants born to married mothers, babies born to unmarried mothers were significantly more like ly to experience a variety of socioeconomic and health-related disadvantages. These included a greater likelihood that Medicaid or other public or charita ble assistance would cover delivery costs (68% compared with 23%), receiving late or no prenatal care (11% versus 5%), being born prematurely (1% versus 0.5%), and having a low birth weight (11% versus 7%). They were also more likely to have fathers without a college education (92% compared with 55%) and far more likely to have no father identified on the birth certificate (29% versus 2%). Research has likewise found that children who grow up without an involved father are at increased risk for a range of emotional, behavioral, edu cational, and social challenges. These may include feelings of abandonment, difficulty regulating emotions, diminished self-worth, behavioral problems, lower academic achievement, and elevated rates of delinquency, substance misuse, early sexual activity, teen pregnancy, and homelessness. Studies have also reported that father absence is associated with a higher likelihood of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, including substantially greater risks of severe maltreatment and fatal abuse. 3 THE CHANGING ROLE OF FATHERS Fathers today are devoting fewer hours to paid employment and spending more time on household responsibilities, including childcare and domestic tasks, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data reported by Axios. Research suggests that Millennial and Generation X fathers are more actively involved in parenting than earlier generations, with this trend appearing to have grown even stronger since the pandemic. The shift is especially evident among col lege-educated men who are married or partnered, according to a working paper by Ariel Binder of the American Institute for Boys and Men. However, despite these changes, women continue to carry a substantially larger share of unpaid household labor. 4 TODAY’S TEENS: MORE SOBER, LESS SOCIAL Today’s teenagers are consuming less alcohol than previous generations, but researchers suggest that the decline may be influenced in part by chang ing social patterns and fewer opportunities for in-person interaction. Rachel Janfaza, a Gen Z researcher and author of The Up and Up newsletter, notes that the way young people connect socially has shifted significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Combined with the influence of social media, these changes have contributed to a broader transformation in how adolescents spend time together. Janfaza describes Gen Z as a generation that is reach ing traditional milestones later than previous generations. The trend extends beyond alcohol use, with young adults also reporting later engagement in activities such as sexual relationships and obtaining driver’s licenses. Data from the University of Michigan’s long-running Monitoring the Future study show that alcohol use among high school seniors has declined substantially. In 2025, 41% of seniors reported consuming alcohol within the previous year, compared with 75% in 1997. The decline is even more pronounced among younger adolescents. According to the study’s principal investigator, Richard Miech, the decrease does not simply reflect a shift toward marijuana or other substances. Instead, a growing number of teens appear to be choosing not to use substances at all. 5

Research suggests that Millennial and Generation X fathers are more actively involved in parenting than earlier generations, with this trend appearing to have grown even stronger since the pandemic.

30 Christian Counseling Connection