The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Cross-national differences in women’s repartnering behaviour in Europe: the role of individual demographic characteristics

Cross-national differences in women’s repartnering behaviour in Europe: the role of individual demographic characteristics
Cross-national differences in women’s repartnering behaviour in Europe: the role of individual demographic characteristics
Background: with rising union instability across Europe, more individuals now re-enter the partner market and eventually repartner. The increase in cohabitation may also be influencing repartnering behaviour. While several studies examine individual-level characteristics related to repartnering, few take a broader view and compare repartnering levels or explore how demographic characteristics associated with repartnering differ across Europe.

Objective: we describe levels of repartnering and the characteristics of those exposed to repartnering in 11 European countries. We then examine whether the relationship between women’s demographic characteristics at union dissolution and repartnering are similar or different across countries. Given the recent increase in cohabitation, we pay particular attention to prior cohabitation and marriage, but we also compare age at first union dissolution, first union duration, and presence of children.

Methods: using the Harmonized Histories database, we apply discrete-time hazard models separately by country and to pooled cross-national data.
RESULTS: Despite large differences in levels of repartnering, in most countries we find similar associations between demographic characteristics and repartnering. First union type did not matter after controlling for age and children, except in France, where those who previously cohabited had significantly lower risks of repartnering. Age at union dissolution and presence of children are negatively associated with repartnering in almost all countries.

Conclusions: although cohabitation has increased everywhere, prior experience of a coresidential partnership outside of formal marriage makes little difference to repartnering behaviour after controls (except in France). However, regardless of country, older women and/or mothers are less likely to form second unions.
cohabitation, Europe, marriage, repartnering, union dissolution
189-228
Galezewska, Paulina, Barbara
a4dd4b21-ef84-4261-b783-e8b919efdd78
Perelli-Harris, Brienna
9d3d6b25-d710-480b-8677-534d58ebe9ed
Berrington, Ann
bd0fc093-310d-4236-8126-ca0c7eb9ddde
Galezewska, Paulina, Barbara
a4dd4b21-ef84-4261-b783-e8b919efdd78
Perelli-Harris, Brienna
9d3d6b25-d710-480b-8677-534d58ebe9ed
Berrington, Ann
bd0fc093-310d-4236-8126-ca0c7eb9ddde

Galezewska, Paulina, Barbara, Perelli-Harris, Brienna and Berrington, Ann (2017) Cross-national differences in women’s repartnering behaviour in Europe: the role of individual demographic characteristics. Demographic Research, 37 (8), 189-228. (doi:10.4054/DemRes.2017.37.8).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: with rising union instability across Europe, more individuals now re-enter the partner market and eventually repartner. The increase in cohabitation may also be influencing repartnering behaviour. While several studies examine individual-level characteristics related to repartnering, few take a broader view and compare repartnering levels or explore how demographic characteristics associated with repartnering differ across Europe.

Objective: we describe levels of repartnering and the characteristics of those exposed to repartnering in 11 European countries. We then examine whether the relationship between women’s demographic characteristics at union dissolution and repartnering are similar or different across countries. Given the recent increase in cohabitation, we pay particular attention to prior cohabitation and marriage, but we also compare age at first union dissolution, first union duration, and presence of children.

Methods: using the Harmonized Histories database, we apply discrete-time hazard models separately by country and to pooled cross-national data.
RESULTS: Despite large differences in levels of repartnering, in most countries we find similar associations between demographic characteristics and repartnering. First union type did not matter after controlling for age and children, except in France, where those who previously cohabited had significantly lower risks of repartnering. Age at union dissolution and presence of children are negatively associated with repartnering in almost all countries.

Conclusions: although cohabitation has increased everywhere, prior experience of a coresidential partnership outside of formal marriage makes little difference to repartnering behaviour after controls (except in France). However, regardless of country, older women and/or mothers are less likely to form second unions.

Text
37-8 - Version of Record
Download (719kB)

More information

Accepted/In Press date: 7 June 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 27 July 2017
Keywords: cohabitation, Europe, marriage, repartnering, union dissolution

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 414865
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/414865
PURE UUID: 152c1047-074b-4689-936f-b41ad21bfe0a
ORCID for Brienna Perelli-Harris: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8234-4007
ORCID for Ann Berrington: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-1683-6668

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 12 Oct 2017 16:31
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 04:06

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Paulina, Barbara Galezewska
Author: Ann Berrington ORCID iD

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×