Cohabiting Adults

In today's society cohabitation is becoming more common amount young adults. What is Cohabitation? Cohabitation refers to living together in a sexual relationship without being married. Currently 60 to 70% of adults live together before they get married. In general most see cohabitation as a way to be together without the official aspect of marriage. Others use it as an alternative to marriage, but find it important to be married someday. Most adults see cohabitation as a successful step to marriage, but research shows the opposite. 1/3 of cohabiting arrangements last less than a year, and less than 1 out of 10 last for five years. Research has shown lower rates of marital satisfaction and higher rates of divorce in couples who lived together before getting married. Cohabiting before marriage can lead to what is called the "cohabitation effect". The "cohabitation effect" includes a more negative commitment in marriage, lower levels of marital satisfactio, erosion over time of the value and view of marriage and childrearing, and greater likelihood of divorce. In addition cohabitation can lead other problems. An emotional stress can be put on the couple because of disapproval by parents and family. Also, it may be hard for the couple to own property jointly, and in the case of a separation legal rights become confusing. In general cohabitation usually has a negative impact on marriage and relationships.

My opinion:
I lived with my college boyfriend my senior year and once I moved to Nashville, and living together caused us to argue constantly. However, I am glad that we lived together because it made me realize that I did not want to spend the rest of my life with him. I don't think that I want to live with someone else before I get married. On the other hand I worry about whether or not that person and I will be able to get along once we are married and living together everyday. The book discusses that move in together after engagement are more likely to have a successful marriage than those who live together before an engagement. I think I would be more likely to live with someone again if we were engaged.

Sources:

Characteristics of Cohabiting Adults Studied. (n.d.). North Carolina Family Policy Council. Retrieved July 13, 2010, from http://www.ncfamily.org/stories/090716s1.html

Santrock, J. W. (2008). Life-Span Development (12 ed.). New York City: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages.