Table 4.

Transition measures and sample sizes

Measure	Definition	n
New First Marriage	Respondent transitions from single (never married) to married  between interview years separated by no more than three years.	3,058
First Marital Dissolution	Respondent transitions from first marriage to separation, divorce,  or widowhood between interview years separated by no more  than three years.a	1,664
New Remarriage	Respondent transitions from separated, divorced, or widowed to  married or reunited between interview years separated by no more  than three years.b	1,186
Later Marital Dissolution	Respondent transitions from remarriage to separation, divorce,  or widowhood between interview years separated by no more  than three years.a	555
Educational Upgrade	Either partner in a marriage or remarriage increases their  education category between interview years separated by no  more than three years.	1,160

Note: Female respondents are aged 16 to 41.

Source: National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79), 1979–2000.

^a3% of first marital dissolutions and 2% of later marital dissolutions were attributable to widowhood.

^b18% of new remarriages were reunions with a former spouse following a separation or divorce.