Economic factors and relationship quality among young couples: Comparing cohabitation and marriage

Citation

Hardie, Jessica H. & Lucas, Amy (2010). Economic factors and relationship quality among young couples: Comparing cohabitation and marriage. Journal of Marriage and Family. vol. 72 (5) pp. 1141-1154 , PMCID: PMC3116270

Abstract

Are economic resources related to relationship quality among young couples, and to what extent does this vary by relationship type? To answer these questions, we estimated regression models predicting respondent reports of conflict and affection in cohabiting and married partner relationships using the National Longitudinal Study of Youth, 1997 (NLSY97, N = 2,841) and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health, N = 1,702). We found that economic factors are an important predictor of conflict for both married and cohabiting couples. Affection was particularly responsive to human capital rather than short-term economic indicators. Economic hardship was associated with more conflict among married and cohabiting couples.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00755.x

Keyword(s)

Cohabitation/Marriage

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Journal of Marriage and Family

Author(s)

Hardie, Jessica H.
Lucas, Amy

Year Published

2010

Volume Number

72

Issue Number

5

Pages

1141-1154

DOI

10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00755.x

PMCID

PMC3116270

Reference ID

1208