European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 13, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Us Palij Bra. Emmett Yvvis or "sons.,. Elicits greater investment and involvement from Fithen sociologist s. Philip Mory an. Do sons Foster marital stability by Maureen Downey Cox news services new marital Aid has been suggested to preserve marriages sons. A Leam of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found inc risk of separation was 9 percent lower in couples who had sons complied to i Hose who had Only daughters. Childless couples have the highest risk of manat disruption suggesting that All children increase marital stability sociologist 5 Philip Morgan said. Bui sons promote greater stability because they elicit a greater investment and involvement from lathers " on the other hand. Morgan did not find that Souiers nurtured daughters More saying that women Are involved equally with their children Morgan called the disparity in a lather s allo lion to his sons and daughters a natural outcome of a society that divides along irad Lional gender roles when it comes to child rearing. La general lathers Are not terribly involved with the Day la Day lives of children the sociologist said what support and participation they do have is disproportionately spent with sons. What sons then have is greater resources because they have greater Access to lathers " this is nol necessarily a desirable situation Morgan said As it Points out the pervasive sexism of american society social scientists and every Layman know that sons and daughters men and women arc treated differently he said. Whal we have Here is another example of the Dilc Renial ire Arnonl of boys and girls that disadvantages  the consequences extend beyond fathers simply spending More saturday afternoons with their boys Morgan said. Since couples with daughters Are More Likely to separate girls Are More Likely to end up in single Parent households headed by women which in turn increases the chances that Thev will live in poverty Tho findings Are based on if .000 marriages recorded in 19bo current population Survey earned out by the census Bureau and the 1981  1,200 Mother child pairs in the federally funded National Survey of children for purposes of the study Morgan said marital instability was defined As physical separation instead of divorce because some couples particularly those with lower incomes never go through Legal divorce proceedings. The findings have an Impact on the nagging question among sociologists of How children Al Lect marital slab Lily Morgan said while ii has been documented thai children reduce marital instability ii has t been Clear whether it s children who Lead to More stable marriages or stable marriages thai Lead to children. Our study shows that whatever it is about having kids that produces marital slab Lily boys have More of in than  Morgan said a s another clue thai suggests kids in general produce marital stability because if they did lil would t matter in couples have a boy or a  Morgan cautioned that marital stability is nol synonymous with marital happiness. To Are making no argument that kids make a marriage happier he said. Studies have shown that How much husbands and wives say they enjoy being together seems to go Down with children children act As a cohesive Factor however giving couples new reasons to remain together he said. Morgan s study would appear to have application in other areas of lather son relations White it would seem Lor no that divorced dads would be More Apt to pay Cli ild support and maintain con acl with sons Morgan said that his research has shown this in t the Case. In National samples noncustodial fathers Are remarkably detached irom their children regardless of sox of the  Morgan said. Most of them Don t pay child support and they see their kids  so where Are these new fathers the ones that have inspired several to sitcoms touring their commitment to child rearing and their willingness to Lake on traditional mothering roles Media focus on these fathers has caused people to overestimate their prevalence in society Morgan said. Just because people can find some of them out there does t mean they Are  Page 14 the stars and stripes America s satellite Chin towns by Elaine Louie new York times Merica s Chin towns arc on inc Movo irom Tho cily coolers of s