Kuntay reports that teenage female sex workers in Istanbul overwhelmingly have in their background either divorced parents, a problematic family situation or obviously bad parenting practices. A number of other characteristics of parents and the effects on their children have been studied: depression and general mental health of parents (Carlson & Corcoran) and their modeling of behaviour (Woodward & others; Tatum; Herd; Zeng-Yin Chen & Kaplan). Patterson & Redding state that research suggests that lesbian and gay couples are as likely as heterosexual parents to provide home environments that support positive outcomes for children. Vollebergh & others cite authors who found a strong correlation between the worldviews of parents and those of children, both in adolescence and beyond. Downey & others find little difference for the child whether the single parent is male or female. Powell & Downey state that they found virtually no evidence that it is an advantage for a child in a single parent family to live with a parent of the same sex as the child. (This challenges a relatively common opinion.) Regarding all of the points mentioned in this paragraph, the studies in my survey are too few to indicate a consensus on the issues. Of interest is the thesis of Richard Gill that many modern families fail their children by communicating too much emphasis on the present and not enough orientation towards the future. III.
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE INSTITUTIONS OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY?
Several recently published books give an alarming picture of what is happening to marriage and family in our society. They are based on some of the studies that have been cited above and on much other research.
272