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Virginia Tech

From cohabitation to marriage: couples' perceptions of the transition stage II of the family life cycle

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Cohabitation, as a relationship form, is becoming much more common in the United States. Approximately half of the persons currently in their 30s cohabit prior to marriage and more than half of all recent marriages were preceded by cohabitation between those marrying. Through the use of in-depth interviews I studied the transition between this new form of "dating" and the traditional course of marriage. Couples who cohabited with each other prior to their marriage were interviewed about how they made the transition to marriage. Couples' perceptions are what changed in the transition from cohabitation to marriage. The transition comes about through the passage of time, through external events which make an impact on the couple's relationship, and through beliefs about what certain events and behaviors mean.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Family and Child Development
Department dc:contributor.department
Family and Child Development
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1992

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Kleinhen, Rachel M.
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Johnson, Scott W.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Protinsky, Howard O. Jr.
  • Lichtman, Marilyn V.
  • Stremmel, Andrew J.
  • Gilmore, Jerry

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-10102005-131600
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/39718

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Kleinhen, Rachel M.. From cohabitation to marriage: couples' perceptions of the transition stage II of the family life cycle. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/39718