Understanding the Divorce Cycle : The Children of Divorce in Their Own Marriages

Growing up in a divorced family leads to a variety of difficulties for adult offspring in their own partnerships. One of the best known and most powerful is the divorce cycle, the transmission of divorce from one generation to the next. This book examines how the divorce cycle has transformed family life in contemporary America by drawing on two national data sets. Compared to people from intact families, the children of divorce are more likely to marry as teenagers, but less likely to wed overall, more likely to marry people from divorced families, more likely to dissolve second and third marriages, and less likely to marry their live-in partners. Yet some of the adverse consequences of parental divorce have abated even as divorce itself proliferated and became more socially accepted. Taken together, these findings show how parental divorce is a strong force in people's lives and society as a whole. Growing Up In A Divorced Family Leads To A Variety Of Difficulties For Adult Offspring In Their Own Partnerships. One Of The Best Known And Most Powerful Is The Divorce Cycle, The Transmission Of Divorce From One Generation To The Next. This Book Draws On Two National Social Survey Data Sets To Examine How The Divorce Cycle Has Transformed Family Life In Contemporary America. Compared To People From Intact Families, The Children Of Divorce Are More Likely To Marry As Teenagers But Less Likely To Wed Overall. They Are More Likely To Marry Other People From Divorced Families, More Likely To Dissolve Second And Third Marriages, And Less Likely To Marry Their Live-in Partners. Yet Some Of The Adverse Consequences Of Parental Divorce Have Abated Even As Divorce Itself Has Proliferated And Become More Socially Accepted. Taken Together, These Findings Show How Parental Divorce Is A Strong Force In People's Lives And Society As A Whole.--jacket. 1. Introduction -- Marriage And Divorce : Coexisting American Institutions -- Divorce And Public Policy -- Outline Of Book -- Data -- Toward A Balanced Portrait Of The Divorce Cycle -- 2. Why Divorce Begets Divorce -- Father Absence -- Institutionalized Inequality : Racism, Poverty, And Family Structure -- Towards A Better Explanation -- Predivorce Differences -- Context And Community -- Socioeconomic Explanations -- Genetic Differences -- Parental Conflict -- Role Modeling Redux -- Parental Divorce And Offspring Marital Problems -- From Family Of Origin To Marital Dissolution -- 3. Coupling And Uncoupling -- The Demography Of Marriage -- Why Parental Divorce Affects Offspring Marriage Timing -- How Parental Divorce Affects Offspring Marriage Timing -- Why The Children Of Divorce Have High Rates Of Teenage Marriage -- Explaining Low Overall Marriage Rates For The Children Of Divorce -- Parental Divorce And Partner Selection : Family Structure Homogamy -- How Parental Divorce Affects Partner Selection -- Conclusion -- 4. How Strong Is The Divorce Cycle? -- How Strong Is The Divorce Cycle? -- Differences By Family Type -- Parental Divorce, Social Background, And Respondent Characteristics -- How Social Background And Respondent Characteristics Affect The Divorce Cycle -- Can Unwed Motherhood Explain The Divorce Cycle? -- Red Herrings -- Multiple Marriages And Multiple Divorces -- Conclusion. 5. Historical Developments -- How Divorce Changed In The Twentieth Century -- Explaining Trends In Marriage Timing For The Children Of Divorce -- How Has The Marital Behavior Of People From Divorced Families Changed Over Time? -- Why Marriage Rates Have Declined -- Explaining Trends In The Intergenerational Transmission Of Divorce -- How Much Has The Divorce Cycle Abated? -- Conclusion -- 6. The Cohabitation Revolution -- How Marriage And Cohabitation Differ -- How Parental Divorce Affects Cohabiting Relationships -- Conclusion -- 7. Conclusion -- Parental Divorce And Offspring Marital Behavior : A Lifespan Chronology -- Marriage Timing -- Mate Selection -- What Makes The Divorce Cycle Stronger? : Or Weaker? -- Historical Trends -- Parental Divorce And Offspring Cohabiting Relationships -- Limitations -- The Divorce Reform Movement In America -- The Argument For No-fault Laws -- Mixed Blessings -- Appendix A. Data And Methods -- Data -- Survey Weights And Clustering -- Measuring Family Of Origin -- Socioeconomic Variables -- Temporal Variables -- Miscellaneous Variables -- Missing Data -- Analysis -- Chapter 3 -- Chapter 4 -- Chapter 5 -- Chapter 6 -- Appendix B. Evaluating The Role Of Marriage Differentials In The Weakening Divorce Cycle. Nicholas H. Wolfinger. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 159-176) And Index. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Preface 11 Acknowledgments 13 1 introduction 15 Marriage and Divorce : Coexisting American Institutions 16 Divorce and Public Policy 19 Outline of Book 20 Data 22 Toward a Balanced Portrait of the Divorce Cycle 23 2 why divorce begets divorce 25 Father Absence 26 Institutionalized Inequality: Racism, Poverty, and Family Structure 28 Toward a Better Explanation 31 Predivorce Differences 31 Context and Community 33 Socioeconomic Explanations 35 Genetic Differences 39 Parental Conflict 40 Role Modeling Redux 41 Parental Divorce and Offspring Marital Problems 44 From Family of Origin to Marital Dissolution 47 3 coupling and uncoupling 49 The Demography of Marriage 50 Why Parental Divorce Affects Offspring Marriage Timing 52 How Parental Divorce Affects Offspring Marriage Timing 54 Why the Children of Divorce Have High Rates of Teenage Marriage 56 Explaining Low Overall Marriage Rates for the Children of Divorce 58 Parental Divorce and Partner Selection: Family Structure Homogamy 59 How Parental Divorce Affects Partner Selection 61 Conclusion 65 4 how strong is the divorce cycle? 67 How Strong Is the Divorce Cycle? 69 Differences by Family Type 70 Parental Divorce, Social Background, and Respondent Characteristics 74 How Social Background and Respondent Characteristics Affect the Divorce Cycle 77 Can Unwed Motherhood Explain the Divorce Cycle? 81 Red Herrings 83 Multiple Marriages and Multiple Divorces 85 Conclusion 87 5 historical developments 90 How Divorce Changed in the Twentieth Century 91 Explaining Trends in Marriage Timing for the Children of Divorce 95 How Has the Marital Behavior of People from Divorced Families Changed over Time? 96 Why Marriage Rates Have Declined 97 Explaining Trends in the Intergenerational Transmission of Divorce 99 How Much Has the Divorce Cycle Abated? 101 Conclusion 105 6 The Cohabitation Revolution 107 How Marriage and Cohabitation Differ 108 How Parental Divorce Affects Cohabiting Relationships 111 Conclusion 116 7 conclusion 119 Parental Divorce and Offspring Marital Behavior: A Life Span Chronology 121 Marriage Timing 121 Mate Selection 122 What Makes the Divorce Cycle Stronger? Or Weaker? 123 Historical Trends 126 Parental Divorce and Offspring Cohabiting Relationships 129 Limitations 130 The Divorce Reform Movement in America 130 The Argument for No-Fault Laws 134 Mixed Blessings 138 appendix a: Data and Methods 141 Data 141 Survey Weights and Clustering 142 Measuring Family of Origin 143 Socioeconomic Variables 146 Temporal Variables 147 Miscellaneous Variables 149 Missing Data 149 Analysis 149 Chapter 3 149 Chapter 4 151 Chapter 5 153 Chapter 6 155 appendix b: evaluating the role of marriage differentials in the Weakening Divorce Cycle 156 Notes 159 Bibliography 173 Index 191 Growing up in a divorced family can cause the children to have difficulties in maintaining relationships. Nicholas Wolfinger demonstrates the significant impact of parental divorce upon people's lives and society. The divorce cycle phenomena ensures the transmission of divorce from one generation to the next. This book examines how it has transformed family life in contemporary America by drawing on two national data sets. Compared to people from intact families, the children of divorced parents are more likely to marry as teenagers, but less likely to wed overall. They are more likely to marry other people from divorced families, but more likely to dissolve second and third marriages, and less likely to marry their live-in partners.