The first family formation among young Americans: the role of family process

Abstract

The percentage of young American adults living with their parents is said to have increased steadily over the last few decades. However, limited research has examined the role of parent–adolescent interaction in the first family formation of young adults. This study examines the association between adolescents’ family process and their first union formation (marriage and cohabitation) from the ages of 16 to 35. This study also tests whether the influence of the family process varies significantly by age. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, an event history analysis was conducted to address how the mechanisms of social learning by family affect the timing and types of first union formation. The results indicate that individuals with a positive family process have a lower risk of cohabitating during adolescence and a higher chance of transitioning to marriage than cohabitation in their first union formation. The findings also show that a positive family process is associated with higher chances of marriage in the mid-twenties and later. The study further shows that fathers may have a substantial role to play in affecting the timing and types of first union formation of their children compared to mothers. The findings of this study suggest that family processes are important in determining the timing and type of first union formation among young people in the United States.