Traditional and Modern Cohabitation in Latin America: A Comparative Typology

Abstract

BACKGROUND The existence of cohabitation is a historical feature of nuptiality in Latin America. Traditionally, cohabitation was common in less developed regions, among the lower social classes. But today its occurrence is increasing and in social groups and regions in which it was not common. The features of this latter type of cohabitation remain unclear. OBJECTIVE We differentiate types of cohabitation in Latin America on the basis of relationship context at its outset and its outcomes in terms of childbearing. The comparability of these types over countries is attested, as well as their evolution over time and the educational and age profiles of cohabitants. METHODS Demographic and Health Survey data for the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s for up to eight countries are analyzed by means of Multiple Group Latent Class Analysis. RESULTS Three types of cohabitation are found. The traditional type includes young and lowereducated women who start to cohabit during adolescence. They have more children at younger ages. The remaining two types of cohabitation included higher-educated women and are considered modern. The innovative type groups women from all age groups, with fewer children born at a higher age and never as a single woman. Blended

Consensual Unions in Central America: Historical Continuities and New Emerging Patterns

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Family Change in Global Perspective: How and Why Family Systems Change

“…As in the West, marriage is apparently becoming more discretionary in Eastern Europe and parts of Asia (Jones, Hull, & Mohamad, ; Thornton & Philipov, ). As marriage has become more optional, the practice of cohabitation (before, after, or in lieu of a formal union) has grown throughout the Western world and in Eastern Europe (Heuveline & Timberlake, 2004; Holland, ; Lundberg, Pollak, & Stearns, ; Thornton & Philipov, ). In many nations in Latin America and the Caribbean, where cohabitation has long been a preferred form among certain ethnic and racial minorities, it has become more widely practiced among more economically advantaged individuals who previously confined their unions to formal marriage (Covre‐Sussai, Meuleman, Botterman, & Koen, ; Esteve & Lesthaeghe, ; Esteve, Lesthaeghe, & López‐Gay, ; Lesthaeghe, ). Divorce after marriage has become more common in most nations, especially those with previously low rates of marital dissolution (Surkyn & Lesthaeghe, ). Although marital stability has increased in some countries among the most educated, it has declined at the same time for the less educated and skilled portion of the population (Schwartz & Han, ).…”

Cohabitation: The Pan-America View

“…Esteve et al ( 2012 ) use the characteristic of residence in an extended household, as opposed to the formation of a nuclear household, as a criterion for evaluating the maintenance of traditional form of marriage and cohabitation. Covre-Sussai et al ( 2015 ) use DHS surveys to construct a three-way typology of cohabiting women depending on the maternity paths followed prior to the union and after cohabitation. Grace and Sweeney ( 2014 ) focus on the onset of sexual activity of adolescents and young adult women in Central America and the consequences for entering into a consensual or marital union.…”