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Abstract
Cohabitation has become part of romantic relationships in the United States; cohabitation has become a normal experience for both men and women. With the rapid increase in cohabitation this raises important concerns about its consequences for the institution of marriage and the lives of individuals involved in this family form, as research indicates that cohabiters hold lower levels of commitment, and cohabiters are more likely to be depressed than marrieds( Brown, S.L 2003). Some studies have been done to find out whether marriages are beneficial to one’s mental health, Pro marriage initiatives and policies like tax breaks for married people have taken a part in this (Perelli-Harris 2017). Although the prevalence and patterns of cohabitation have generally been well documented, we know very little about the outcomes of cohabitation and marriage. This is especially true for middle age adults; despite the increasing significance of cohabitation at younger ages, the cohabitation literature continues to focus on older adults who tend to settle or move in with a partner after a divorce from a previous marriage. The experiences of cohabitation and marriage are not the same at all ages. Some people may view marriage as a union of comfort, something that’s more solid than cohabitation though the meaning and significance of both these relationship is different for each individual (Haas, S. M., & Whitton, S. W. 2015). Cohabitation has become a big part of an everyday American life (Pollard and Harris 2013). There has been an increase in the number of cohabiting households.
Department
Health Sciences
Faculty Advisor
Brett Bayles, MPH, Ph.D.
Publication Date
4-19-2018
Sponsorship/Conference/Institution
Scholarly and Creative Works Conference, Dominican University of California
City
San Rafael, CA
Keywords
Depression, Living Together, Cohabitating Couples
Disciplines
Psychology