Strengthening Marriage

According to a 2023 U.S. News & World Report, Utah’s economy continuously ranks first across all 50 states. Experts have even deemed the state’s noteworthy economic growth, strong business climates, and high rates of economic mobility a miracle. But what are the major contributing factors for this “Utah economic miracle”? In this episode Dr. Jenet Erickson, associate professor in the Department of Church History and Doctrine, and Dr. Jason Carroll, family initiative director of the Wheatly Institute and a professor in the School of Family Life, discuss one of the strongest predictors of state economic success: strong families. In examining the “Utah family miracle,” they detail the foundation of strong, resilient relationships and highlight which factors make relationships more fragile. They emphasize how the blessings of religion help us develop the characteristics and virtues to strengthen relationships and marriages.

Click here to learn more about Jenet Erickson and here to learn more about Jason Carroll

Jenet Erickson Publications:

• “The Utah Family Miracle: Five Policy Ideas to Keep Utah Families Strong and Stable” (Sutherland Institute & Institute for Family Studies Policy Publication, 2023)
• “The Complementary Nature of Mothers and Fathers” (Y Religion, episode 48, year)
• “Motherhood: Restoring Clarity and Vision in a World of Confusing Messages” (in By Divine Design, Religious Studies Center, 2014)
• “Homeward Bound: The Work-Family Resent in Post-Covid America” (Institute for Family Studies, 2021)

Jason Carroll Publications

• “The Soulmate Trap: Why Embracing Agency-Based Love is the Surest Path to Creating a Flourishing Marriage” (Wheatley Institute, 2024)
• “A Not-So-Good Faith Estimate: Why Many Studies Underestimate the Full Benefits of Religion” (Wheatley Institute, 2022)
• “A True Temple Marriage” (BYU-Idaho Devotional, BYU-Idaho Speeches, 19 March 2024)
• The Marriage Compass (BYU Academic Publishing, 2018)