Research Behind What the Church Teaches: Cohabitation

Couples who live together before marriage actually face a higher risk of divorce than those who do not – up to 85% higher (Kline et al., 2004; Bumpass & Sweet, 1995; Hall & Zhao, 1995; Bracher, Santow, Morgan & Russell, 1993; and DeMaris & Rao, 1992). There are a number of reasons for this. Research from the Center for Marital and Family Studies at the University of Denver (Stanley et al., 2004) indicates that individuals who live together before marriage often get caught up in a sort of “relationship inertia” in which getting married is just the next logical thing to do. They are less likely to make a conscious, intentional decision to commit to their partner for life. Some may even feel pressure to marry or face the end of the relationship. There is also some evidence that cohabiting couples do not view their relationship the same way that married couples do. Women tend to perceive cohabitation as a step before marriage; men are more likely to see cohabitation as a step before making a commitment.

Bracher, Michael; Santow, Gigi; Morgan, S. Philip; R. Trussell, James. (1993). Marriage Dissolution in Australia: Models and Explanations. Population Studies 47, 403-425.

Bumpass, Larry L.; Sweet, James A. (1995). Cohabitation, Marriage, and Union Stability: Preliminary Findings from NSFH2 (NSFH Working Paper No. 65) Center for Demography and Ecology: University of Wisconsin, Madison.

DeMaris, Alfred; Rao, K. Vaninadha (1992). "Premarital Cohabitation and Subsequent Marital Stability in the United States: A Reassessment." Journal of marriage and the Family 5, 179-190.

Hall, David R.; Zhao, John Z. "Cohabitation and Divorce in Canada: Testing the Selectivity Hypotheses." Journal of Marriage and the Family 57, 421-427.

Kline, G. H., Stanley, S. M., Markman, H. J., Olmos-Gallo, P. A., St. Peters, M., Whitton, S. W., Prado, L. (2004). Timing is everything: Pre-engagement cohabitation  and increased risk for poor marital outcomes. Journal of Family Psychology, 18 , 311-318.

Popenoe, David and Whitehead, Barbara Dafoe, Should We Live Together? What Young Adults Need to Know about Cohabitation Before Marriage, A Comprehensive Review of Recent Research (The National Marriage Project, Rutgers University) http://marriage.rutgers.edu/

Stanley, S.M., Whitton, S. W., & Markman, H. J. (2004). Maybe I Do: Interpersonal commitment and premarital or nonmarital cohabitation. Journal of Family Issues, 25 , 496-519.