Cohabitation and Exchanges of Support

David Eggebeen, Pennsylvania State University

Cohabitation has rapidly become entrenched in the life course of young adulthood over the past few decades yet its effects on family ties remains poorly understood. This paper examines the relationship between non-marital cohabitation and routine exchanges of support between American adults aged 19-30, and their aging parents using data drawn from the National Survey of Families and Households. Cohabiting young adults were found to be significantly less likely to be exchanging support with their parents than their married or single, non-cohabiting compatriots. Examination of specific exchanges revealed the largest differences between married or single and cohabiting respondents were in exchanges of household help and childcare or babysitting. Analysis of variability in exchanges of support with parents among cohabiting young adults revealed that the quality of the relationship with the parent to be the most potent predictor of exchanges.