Cohabitation in Australia: Trends and Implications for Family Outcomes (2007-2010)
Abstract
Australia has witnessed a significant increase in the percentage of couples choosing to cohabit rather than to marry. Even more dramatic is the increase in the percentage of couples choosing to cohabit for a period of time prior to marriage, from less than 10 per cent in the 1960s to over 75 per cent in 2003. The aim of this project is to contribute to our understanding of these trends. The significance of the project lies in its potential to explain how and why cohabitation affects later experiences of relationship quality and stability. The outcomes will be a greater understanding of the causes and consequences of changing cohabitation rates as well as clearer guidelines for family policies on relationship quality and stability.
