Union Dissolution in Sweden

Abstract

Abstract In sharp contrast to marital dissolution, about which there are many articles and books, the study of non-marital union dissolution has received relatively little attention. The reason for such an omission in the literature is largely due to the absence of high-quality data. Whereas numerous fertility surveys have collected the dates of marriages and separations (or divorces), the collection of such dates for non-marital unions is uncommon, except in those developing countries (largely in the Caribbean) where such unions are prevalent and can be viewed as marriage equivalents. As it does for many types of data, Sweden provides a refreshing exception. A 1981 fertility survey entitled Women in Sweden collected a union history, in addition to pregnancy and occupation histories and information on numerous other background variables. However, the rich variety of analyses of these data has included only one study of union dissolution, and it focused on the relatively narrow question of whether premarital cohabitation increased or decreased subsequent marital dissolution rates (Bennett, Blanc, and Bloom 1988). This focus is understandable, since a marked trend toward increased non-marital cohabitation has been evident in many countries, particularly those in Scandinavia. For example, in Sweden non-marital unions comprised 1% of all unions in 1960, 6–7% in 1969, and 15–16% in 1979 (Trost 1980). As such unions become more prevalent, it becomes more important to study their role in the life cycle of families.