Redefining Single-Parent Families: Cohabitation and Changing Family Reality

Citation

Bumpass, Larry L. & Raley, R. Kelly (1995). Redefining Single-Parent Families: Cohabitation and Changing Family Reality. Demography, 32(1), 97-109.

Abstract

This paper explores the implications, for the measured prevalence and duration of mother-only families, of marked changes in nonmarital fertility, unmarried cohabitation, and homeleaving and re-entry. Throughout, estimates are compared on the basis of marital definitions and definitions including cohabitation. The duration of the first single-parent spell appears to have increased under the marital definition, but declines substantially when cohabitations are taken into account. A substantial proportion of single mothers have spent some time as single parents while in their parents' household. Hence we argue that definitions of single-parent families must be based on living arrangements rather than on the parents' marital status.

URL

https://doi.org/10.2307/2061899

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

1995

Journal Title

Demography

Author(s)

Bumpass, Larry L.
Raley, R. Kelly