Family Transitions Project Study Participants

Interesting Facts:

• 75% of Targets share a birthday (month and day) with at least one other Target! The three most common birthdays are June 5, July 9, and July 10.
• 11 Targets are twins
• 58% of Targets have participated in EVERY single wave since the study began, and 95% of Targets have participated at least once in the last 5 years.

In Memory: Sadly, 8 Targets, 8 Mothers, 13 Fathers, and 3 Siblings have died since the project began. Although we don't always learn of such losses until long afterward, please know that our hearts go out to all who experience loss and grief.

Military Service: Between 2007 and 2008, 7 Targets and 6 Spouses or Partners served in the military, including the National Guard. We thank you for your service. Many others have been affected by military deployments, with 30% of Targets reporting close friends, cousins, siblings, or other relatives involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) between 2007 and 2008.

Residency: In 2008-2009, we made contact with 90% of Targets. All Targets lived in Iowa when the project began, and three-quarters lived in a rural area. Now 30% of Targets live outside of Iowa and only 18% live in a rural area. Parents, however, continue to live in Iowa (93% of fathers and 91% of mothers), and more than one-third continue to live in rural areas.

Marital Status: In 2008-2009, 89% of Targets were married: 73% of the Targets have been married once, 8% have been married twice, 1% have been married three or more times, and 18% have never been married.

Children: In 2008-2009, 60% of Targets had 1 or more children, and 8% of Targets are step-parents. The average age (to date) at which female Targets have had their first child is 24.7 years and the average age for male Targets is 25.7 years. This U.S. average is 25.0 years for females and 25.1 years for males.

Educational Attainment: In 2007-2008, 99% of Targets held at least a high school diploma, compared to 86% of Iowa adults over the age of 25 and 72% of Americans over the age of 25. Half of Targets hold at least a Bachelor's degree, compared to 29% of Iowans and 24% of Americans. This is a substantial increase from Targets' parents' educational attainment, when 26% of fathers and 21% of mothers held at least a Bachelor's degree.