Precursors of Young Women's Family Formation Pathways

Authors: Amato, Paul R.; Landale, Nancy S.¹; Havasevich-Brooks, Tara C.¹; Booth, Alan¹; Eggebeen, David J.; Schoen, Robert; McHale, Susan M.

Source: Journal of Marriage and Family, Volume 70, Number 5, December 2008 , pp. 1271-1286(16)

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing

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Abstract:

We used latent class analysis to create family formation pathways for women between the ages of 18 and 23. Input variables included cohabitation, marriage, parenthood, full-time employment, and attending school. Data (n = 2,290) came from Waves I and III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The analysis revealed seven latent pathways: college-no family formation (29%), high school-no family formation (19%), cohabitation without children (15%), married mothers (14%), single mothers (10%), cohabiting mothers (8%), and inactive (6%). Three sets of variables distinguished between the groups: personal and social resources in adolescence, family socioeconomic resources and adolescent academic achievement, and conservative values and behavior in adolescence.

Keywords: adolescence; emergent adulthood; latent class analysis; life course; life events; life transitions; youth

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2008.00565.x

Affiliations: 1: Pennsylvania State University

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