Cohabitation, Marriage, and Union Dissolution in Norway: A Comparative Prospective Study

Abstract

Background Few studies have examined dissolution rates among cohabitating and married couples, using prospective data.

Objective The main aim was to examine trends in living arrangements and dissolution rates among married and cohabiting couples in Norway.

Method Analysis of Norwegian longitudinal cohort data of 168,636 newly formed couples. Dissolution rates and relative risk were assessed at maximum 14 years of follow-up.

Results Most of the married couples with a child were still living together after 14 years (65%), this was not the case for cohabiting couples. The majority of cohabiting couples who stay together eventually marry, particularly those who have children. At 4-year follow-up, young cohabiting couples had split up three times more often than married young couples.

Contribution This study contributes by examining the effect of the living arrangement from a country where cohabitation has been the predominant living arrangement for many years.