Nearly four-in-ten survey respondents say that marriage has become obsolete as an institution in American life.

Seven-in-ten say the trend toward more single women having children is bad for society, and 61% say that a child needs both a mother and father to grow up happily.

Two thirds of Republicans say the country is losing ground on the way the health care system is working, up from 41% in December 2008.

Despite large changes in family structure and formation rates, the public maintains a strongly positive view about marriage and the family.

Three-quarters of adults say they are very satisfied with their family life; 19% are somewhat satisfied.

Among Americans who have ever lived with an unmarried partner, nearly two-thirds say they thought about it as a step toward marriage.

A plurality of Americans (43%) disapprove of gay and lesbian couples raising children, but that number has declined from 50% in 2007.

More than nine-in-ten married people say that love is a very important reason to marry while only about three-in-ten cite financial stability as an important factor. The data suggest otherwise.