Union duration and union dissolution

Marika Jalovaara, University of Turku
Hill Kulu, University of Liverpool

This study examines the risk of separation over union duration. While previous research has shown the rising-falling pattern of divorce over marriage duration, little is known about the variation of the dissolution risk over cohabitation duration or over marriage duration if the length of partnership is measured since the beginning of union rather than marriage. We will use large-scale register data from Finland which include information on both marital and non-marital unions. We will first study the risk of separation both for marital and non-marital unions controlling for observed and unobserved characteristics of individuals. We will then examine the risk of separation over union duration when the episodes of cohabitation and marriage are considered as parts of the same union.