The relationship between cohabitation and divorce: selectivity or causal influence?

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Family Studies
• Demography

Background:

• Recent evidence suggests a link between premarital cohabitation and increased divorce rates.
• This association presents a complex theoretical and empirical challenge in understanding marital stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the dual hypotheses that premarital cohabitation is selective of individuals prone to divorce and that the experience itself fosters divorce-prone attitudes.
• To empirically test these predictions using longitudinal data.

Main Methods:

• Utilized multiwave panel data from a recent cohort of young men and women in the United States.
• Specified and tested statistical models to assess the selectivity and experiential effects of cohabitation on divorce probability.

Main Results:

• Results support the hypothesis that premarital cohabitation is selective, attracting individuals with lower marital commitment and higher divorce approval.
• Findings indicate that cohabiting experiences significantly increase young adults' acceptance of divorce.

Conclusions:

• Premarital cohabitation is associated with both pre-existing individual characteristics and attitudinal shifts that elevate divorce risk.
• The findings contribute to understanding the complex relationship between cohabitation, attitudes towards marriage, and marital dissolution.