LONG-TERM COHABITATION AMONG UNWED PARENTS: DETERMINANTS AND CONSEQUENCES FOR CHILDREN

Though a great deal of prior research has examined the stability of cohabiting unions and child wellbeing in cohabiting unions, little research has attempted to integrate these two concepts. Using 4 waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, I examine the determinants of long-term cohabitation among a recent group of unwed parents, and the consequences of different stable unions (marriage and cohabitation) for child wellbeing. Results indicate that relationship quality is the key determinant to both long-term cohabitation and marriage among unwed parents. Moreover, there are only slight negative implications for children raised in longterm two-biological-parent cohabiting relative to stable two biological married parent families. It appears that long-term cohabitation presents a viable family structure for children.