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Higher education plays an important role in family relationships
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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The number of married couples where the woman has a higher level of education is growing every year and in many countries this trend has replaced the historical situation in which the man always predominated.
This conclusion was made by scientists from the Center for Demographic Research at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. The specialists conducted a study in 56 countries and examined the level of education among women with a heterosexual relationship model, as well as the impact of such a family situation on the relationship between spouses.
The study, conducted by Albert Esteve and Joan García Román, included an analysis of relationships between couples in which the men did not have a college education. To do this, they collected data from 138 censuses in 56 countries, from 1968 to 2009.
The researchers concluded that a higher level of education among women has a direct impact on union formation.
Traditionally, the model of heterosexual relationships was based on the fact that a woman would marry a man who was more educated and able to provide for the family in abundance. However, over time, women gained access to education and this trend changed radically.
"Considering this historical inertia, we can assume that the level of education of a woman has a great influence on the formation of unions. Unions do not always work out and, therefore, the number of single women increases. Nevertheless, we observe that people, with and without degrees, get along well with each other. However, sooner or later these changes will manifest themselves more," says Joan García Román.
Researchers believe that increasing the number of female students will ultimately be a game changer, particularly in China, a country with fewer women and where the number of female university students is expected to be 140 for every 100 male students in 2050.
This relationship development scenario suggests that increasing levels of education among women could have a significant impact on traditional relationship patterns and could also bring men and women into a more equal footing in various aspects of life.
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