Intimate relationship development during the transition to adulthood: Differences by social class

Citation

Meier, A. & Allen, G. (2008). Intimate relationship development during the transition to adulthood: Differences by social class. New Directions in Child and Adolescent Development. vol. 119 pp. 25-39 , PMCID: PMC3703509

Abstract

Compared to middle- and upper-class youth, lower-class youth have a higher prevalence of sexual activity and are more likely to cohabit or to marry early, but they are less likely to ever marry. Lower-class women have strong desires for marriage but difficulty in achieving common pre-requisites for marriage. Social class also shapes the relationships of special class-graded groups of youth such as sexual minorities, military service personnel, and prisoners. More research is needed on how the state and its laws and institutions constrain even the most intimate features of young lives.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cd.207

Keyword(s)

Transition to adulthood

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

New Directions in Child and Adolescent Development

Author(s)

Meier, A.
Allen, G.

Year Published

2008

Volume Number

119

Pages

25-39

DOI

10.1002/cd.207

PMCID

PMC3703509

NIHMSID

NIHMS468609

Reference ID

920