Cohabitation and Marital Dissolution

Wendy D. Manning, Bowling Green State University
Antwan Jones, Bowling Green State University

An intriguing question for family researchers has been to explain why a positive association exists between cohabitation and marital dissolution when the primary reason to cohabit is to test relationship compatibility. Recently, researchers have discovered that the relationship between cohabitation and marital instability is complex and depends on sexual history, cohabitation history, and race/ethnicity (Teachman 2003; Phillips and Sweeney 2005). Drawing on the National Survey of Family Growth, we examine whether and to what extent variation in premarital cohabitation experiences influence marital stability. We build on prior work by examining recent patterns, including both men and women, incorporating variation in cohabitation experiences, and focusing on race and ethnic similarities and differences. Premarital cohabitation history (number and who) has different effects on marital instability for men and women. Both married men and women with marriage plans at the start of cohabitation share similar dissolution rates as couples who never cohabited.