Interracial and Interethnic Marriages: Given Recent History, Have Things Been Getting Better?

Abstract Interracial and interethnic marriages have been increasing in the United States, growing from 7.4 percent in 2000 to 10.2 percent by 2016. Given the growing number of such marriages, more research is needed to inform social work practice, policy, and programming to effectively serve these couples, and their multiracial families. The current research reports on findings from a 2022 survey of 413 partners in interracial or interethnic marriages. Respondents were asked whether over the past five years they felt things have been getting better, about the same, or worse for intermarried couples in our society. Predictive of feeling things had been getting better included reporting support from extended family, living in a community with a number of multiracial and/or multiethnic families, intentionally seeking out social groups or settings with other interracial/interethnic couples, and having children. A few variables predicted feeling things have been about the same or getting worse. These included being male, the couple discussing recent racially related traumatic events such as the murder of George Floyd, and reporting being more frequently consciously aware of the interracial or interethnic nature of their marriage. Implications for practice with interracial and interethnic couples are discussed.