Table 1.
Descriptive characteristics of the sample by gender (N = 8301).
| Women (N = 4692)
|
Men (N = 3609)
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean/% | SD | Mean/% | SD | |
| Wave IV Focal Union Type (Current or Most Recent if Dissolved) | ||||
| Married | 66% | 60% | ||
| Cohabiting | 34% | 40% | ||
| Union Dissolution by Wave IV | 9% | 13% | ||
| Union Duration (in months)a | 52.07 | 38.04 | 44.50 | 35.41 |
| Children in the Household (1 = yes) | 34% | 16% | ||
| # of Marriages Prior to Wave IV Focal Union | 0.12 | 0.33 | 0.09 | 0.29 |
| # of Cohabiting Unions Prior to Wave IV Focal Union | 0.46 | 0.74 | 0.54 | 0.82 |
| Age when Wave IV Focal Union Began | 23.83 | 3.22 | 24.60 | 3.05 |
| # of Sexual Partners during Adolescence/Young Adulthood (by Wave III) | 4.92 | 4.89 | 5.84 | 6.04 |
| Wave III Report that Fidelity is Important for Successful Relationships | 9.84 | 0.86 | 9.68 | 1.15 |
| Respondent Characteristics | ||||
| Wave III Age | 21.80 | 1.74 | 22.05 | 1.73 |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||||
| White | 70% | 68% | ||
| Black | 13% | 14% | ||
| Hispanic | 11% | 12% | ||
| Other | 6% | 6% | ||
| No High School Degree at Wave III | 15% | 21% | ||
| Personal Income at Wave III | 11.57 | 11.86 | 16.97 | 15.90 |
| Unemployed at Wave III | 18% | 13% | ||
| Did Not Live with Both Parents during Adolescence (Wave I, II or Both) | 46% | 45% | ||
| Alcohol Use at Wave III | 1.28 | 1.20 | 1.87 | 1.56 |
| Drug Use at Wave III | 0.24 | 0.55 | 0.39 | 0.69 |
| Religiosity at Wave III | 1.32 | 1.05 | 1.12 | 1.03 |
Source: National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
Notes: All estimates are weighted.
a
For respondents who did not experience union dissolution, union duration represents the time from their reported union start date (which is the date of marriage for respondents who were married and date cohabitation began for respondents who cohabited) to their Wave IV interview date. If respondents reported union dissolution, union duration is the time from their reported union start date to their reported union end date.