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Do Unmarried Parents' Expectations Predict Marital Transitions? Early Evidence from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study

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  • Maureen Waller
  • Sara McLanahan

Abstract

This paper uses newly available information from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Survey to investigate how unmarried mothers' and fathers' expectations about marriage, in addition to their socio-economic and demographic characteristics, are related to transitions to marriage in the year following their child's birth. It also investigates factors that are associated with unmarried parents' expectations about marriage. The results show that mothers and fathers with higher expectations about marriage at the time of their child's birth were significantly more likely to marry between the time of the baseline and follow-up interview. After taking expectations into account, African-American mothers and fathers are less likely to marry, and parents at higher educational levels were more likely to marry, than other parents. We also find that relationship, gender, and socio-economic variables are important predictors of parents' expectations about marriage. However, these variables have somewhat different effects among mothers and fathers.

Suggested Citation

  • Maureen Waller & Sara McLanahan, 2002. "Do Unmarried Parents' Expectations Predict Marital Transitions? Early Evidence from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study," JCPR Working Papers 258, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:wop:jopovw:258
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wendy Manning & Pamela Smock, 1995. "Why marry? Race and the transition to marriage among cohabitors," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 32(4), pages 509-520, November.
    2. Pamela Smock & Wendy Manning, 1997. "Cohabiting partners’ economic circumstances and marriage," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 34(3), pages 331-341, August.
    3. Larry Bumpass & R. Raley, 1995. "Redefining single-parent families: Cohabitation and changing family reality," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 32(1), pages 97-109, February.
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