Separations among Finnish women born between 1938-1967

Authors

• Fjalar Finnäs

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23979/fypr.44891

Keywords:

dissolutions, consensual union, marriage, Finland

Abstract

The study of dissolutions in Finland until 1989 confirms corresponding findings from other countries. Consensual unions and marriages preceded by consensual unions were less stable than direct marriages. We do not interpret this as a causal relation, but rather as an outcome of a selection process. The choice of type of union is an indicator of the general attitudes and norms with respect to family formation and divorces. Furthermore, it is no longer meaningful to classify the unions according to formal marital status at the entry into the union. At present less than one union out of ten is a direct marriage, and we should instead focus on the marital status at entry into parenthood.