Cohabitation: Sharpening A Fuzzy Concept

Abstract

This paper uses Fragile Families data to examine (1) the degree of correspondence between measures of cohabitation, (2) the prevalence of ?part-time? cohabitation, and (3) the extent to which the characteristics associated with cohabiting relationship are sensitive to how part-time cohabitation is classified. The results show cohabitation is a continuous rather than a dichotomous variable. At both ends of the continuum, there is substantial agreement across measures about who is (not) cohabiting. In the middle of the continuum, however, there is considerable ambiguity, with as much as 15% of couples reporting part-time cohabitation. How we classify this group will affect estimates of the prevalence of cohabitation, especially among African Americans, and may impact the characteristics and outcomes of cohabitors.

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