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Parents’ Marital Quality and Children’s Transition to Adulthood

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah R. Brauner-Otto

    (McGill University)

  • William G. Axinn

    (University of Michigan)

  • Dirgha J. Ghimire

    (University of Michigan)

Abstract

Unique longitudinal measures from Nepal allow us to link both mothers’ and fathers’ reports of their marital relationships with a subsequent long-term record of their children’s behaviors. We focus on children’s educational attainment and marriage timing because these two dimensions of the transition to adulthood have wide-ranging, long-lasting consequences. We find that children whose parents report strong marital affection and less spousal conflict attain higher levels of education and marry later than children whose parents do not. Furthermore, these findings are independent of each other and of multiple factors known to influence children’s educational attainment and marriage timing. These intriguing results support theories pointing toward the long-term intergenerational consequences of variations in multiple dimensions of parents’ marriages.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah R. Brauner-Otto & William G. Axinn & Dirgha J. Ghimire, 2020. "Parents’ Marital Quality and Children’s Transition to Adulthood," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(1), pages 195-220, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:demogr:v:57:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s13524-019-00851-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s13524-019-00851-w
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    1. Axinn, William G. & Banchoff, Emma & Ghimire, Dirgha J. & Scott, Kate M., 2024. "Parental depression and their children's marriage timing: The long-term consequences of parental mental disorders," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 347(C).

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