Citation
Guzzo, Karen Benjamin (2017). Shifts in Higher-Order Unions and Stepfamilies among Currently Cohabiting and Married Women of Childbearing Age.
Journal of Family Issues, 38(12), 1775-1799. PMCID: PMC5624729
Abstract
Shifts in union formation and childbearing have undoubtedly altered the prevalence and structure of higher-order unions and stepfamilies, but no study has examined trends over time. Comparing the 1988 and 2011-2013 cycles of the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), I produce estimates of repartnering and stepfamily formation among currently partnered women aged 15-44. The percentage of intact unions that are remarriages stayed stable (around 27-28%), but a growing proportion of currently married and cohabiting women had another cohabiting partner in the past. The percentage of intact unions that are stepfamilies increased from 24% to 31%, with an increase in cohabiting stepfamilies from 19% to 39% of all stepfamilies. Further, while the majority of remarriages are stepfamilies, the majority of women's stepfamilies are no longer remarriages due to union formation among never-married parents. Cohabiting (but not marital) stepfamilies also exhibited changes in which partner had children and in shared childbearing.
URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0192513x16664180Reference Type
Journal Article
Year Published
2017
Journal Title
Journal of Family Issues
Author(s)
Guzzo, Karen Benjamin
Article Type
Regular
PMCID
PMC5624729
Data Set/Study
National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG)
Continent/Country
United States of America
State
Nonspecific
Sex/Gender
Women
ORCiD
Guzzo - 0000-0001-9718-8465
