March 17, 2026:
In Today’s Young Adults Are in a Dating Recession, authored by Alan J. Hawkins, Brian J. Willoughby, Jason S. Carroll, and Brad Wilcox and published by the Institute for Family Studies, readers are presented with striking findings from the 2025 National Dating Landscape Survey that paint a picture of a generation struggling to form romantic connections. The research found that only about 1-in-3 young adults reported actively dating, that dating confidence is low with only about 1-in-3 expressing faith in their dating skills, and that financial barriers, lack of confidence, and painful past experiences are the top obstacles keeping young adults from pursuing relationships.
Importantly, readers will learn that the problem is not a lack of desire for serious relationships and marriage, but rather, a gap in dating skills and real-world experience. The article concludes with a call for relationship educators to develop “dating education” programs to help young adults build the confidence and skills needed to form meaningful connections.