Lampard, Richard and Peggs, Kay (1999) Repartnering: the relevance of parenthood and gender to cohabitation and remarriage among the formerly married. British Journal of Sociology, Vol.50 (No.3). pp. 443-465. doi:10.1080/000713199358644

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Abstract

This paper is an exploratory analysis of the impact of current and anticipated parenthood on cohabitation and remarriage among those formerly living in marriage-type relationships. The focus on children is embedded within a broader analysis of repartnering which takes account of other factors, including gender. Quantitative and qualitative analyses are used, with a multivariate analysis of repartnering patterns, using data from the General Household Survey, being complementedby in-depth interview data examining the attitudes of the formerly married to future relationships. The paper demonstrates that parenthood has a statistically significant effect on the likelihood of formerly married women repartnering, with a higher number of children being associated with a lower probability of repartnering. The presence of children can work against repartnering in a variety of ways. Children place demands on their parents and can deter or object to potential partners. Parents may see their parental role as more important than, and a barrier to, new relationships. However, mothers are typically looking for partners for themselves rather than fathers for their children. Among formerly married people without children, the desire to become a parent encourages repartnering. The paper concludes that parenthood should be a key consideration in analyses of repartnering.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Sociology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Parenthood, Remarriage -- Great Britain, Stepfamilies, Divorce -- Great Britain, Unmarried couples
Journal or Publication Title:	British Journal of Sociology
Publisher:	Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
ISSN:	0007-1315
Official Date:	September 1999
Dates:	Date Event September 1999 Published
Volume:	Vol.50
Number:	No.3
Page Range:	pp. 443-465
DOI:	10.1080/000713199358644
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
Funder:	Economic and Social Research Council (Great Britain) (ESRC)
Grant number:	R000236057 (ESRC)

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