Marital Dissolution and Migration: The Case of Mexico

Reanne Frank, University of Chicago
Elizabeth M. Wildsmith, University of Texas at Austin

This paper examines migration as one of the causes behind marital dissolution among Mexican migrants to the U.S. Specifically, we evaluate whether the risk of union disruption for male household heads is related to migration experience. The data come from the Mexican Migration Project database (MMP). Using discrete time event history analysis, we find that U.S. migration experience significantly increases the odds of union dissolution among male household heads. Furthermore, the effect of U.S. migration experience appears to vary according to the timing of the U.S. migratory trip. Those household heads living in the U.S. in the preceding year were almost 4 times as likely to experience union dissolution in the following year (OR=3.73). This relationship was stronger and more pronounced than the one capturing general migration experience and union dissolution, suggesting that actual physical presence in the U.S. may be a key contributing factor to union dissolution.