AC Lewin

AJ Cherlin

B Willoughby

C Tang

CE Rusbult

DT Lichter

G Carmichael

G Rhoades

GA Carmichael

HB Presser

HH Kelley

J Brines

J Wieselquist

JA Batalova

JH Hardie

JJ Arnett

KJ Eickmeyer

KR Heimdal

M Kalmijn

N Howe

NR Burstein

P Blumstein

PAM Lange Van

R Alsop

RA Settersten

RR Rindfuss

S Kennedy

S Sassler

S Stanley

SA Carless

SD Hoffman

SJ South

SL Nock

T Jamison

V Braun

WD Manning

English

Crossref

Millennials’ Representations Regarding Cohabitation: A Qualitative Exploratory Study

Mariana Silva

Gonçalo Reis

Catarina Brandão

Repositório Aberto da Universidade do Porto

ABSTRACTS BOOK OF 3rd WORLD CONFERENCE ON QUALITATIVE RESEARCH   74     Millennials’ representations regarding cohabitation: a qualitative exploratory study Mariana Silva1, Gonçalo Reis1, Catarina Brandão1  1Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. mariana96dtms@gmail.com; goncalomanuelreis@gmail.com; catarina@fpce.up.pt  Living together without marrying has become a common trend (Carmichael, 1995; Carmichael & Mason, 1998). Coabitation is increasingly a normative step in relationships, reflecting a short-lived union, which usually lasts two years (Kennedy & Bumpass, 2008). When the couple reaches the third-year cohabitating, the relationship tends to culminate in either dissolution or marriage. Cohabitation is an option particularly for individuals belonging to generation Millennial. Relationships have become far more unstable for Millennials than they were for Baby Boomers or Generation X (Eickmeyer, 2016) and one quarter of Millennials will probably cohabitate, in contrast to only 16% of the Baby Boomer cohort (Eickmeyer & Manning, 2018). The goal of this study is to explore and identify Millennials’ representations regarding cohabitation with a romantic partner. We conducted a qualitative exploratory and descriptive research, aiming to explore (1) the challenges that Millennials associate to cohabitation; (2) how Millennials would prepare the process of transitioning to cohabitation; and (3) the strategies they believe to have a positive impact in transitioning to cohabitation.  We gathered data using an online questionnaire answered by individuals belonging to Generation Millennial, in a romantic relationship but not cohabitating, 18 women and 12 men, age ranging from 20 to 27 years. We also conducted an interview with a couple belonging to generation millennial, cohabitating for eight months (at the time of the interview), after dating for four years. Both are 22 years old. Data was analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis following the proposal of Braun and Clarke (2006), using NVivo11 (QSR). The main challenges anticipated in this study are related to managing the dynamic as a couple; how to reconcile each other’s resources; and ways of being. When focusing the process of preparing to transition to cohabitation, participants stress the importance of Planning; Securing several aspects of the relationship; and Communicating. Stayover is also a way of preparing the process (in the form of a training), as well as being empathic regarding the partner. The strategies that once cohabitating should be adopted to guarantee the cohabitation success are Adapting to the partner; Communication; Financial management; Focus on the self; Sharing; and Spending time together. Results suggest the importance of communication and planning before cohabitation, as well as ensuring space for oneself. Workload, financial management, coping with the routine and housework are seen as challenges. The couple’s experience is coherent with many of the representations regarding cohabitation. Social support was absent in the questionnaires data, but is experienced as fundamental by the couple. Knowing what Millennials think regarding cohabitation allows understanding how they approach this new chapter in life. Keywords: Cohabitation, Transition, Millennials, Exploratory research, Qualitative Thematic Analysis   ABSTRACTS BOOK OF 3rd WORLD CONFERENCE ON QUALITATIVE RESEARCH   75     References Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa. Carmichael, G. A. (1995). Consensual partnering in the more developed countries. Journal of the Australian Population Association, 12(1), 51-86. Carmichael, G., & Mason, C. (1998). Consensual partnering in Australia: A review and 1991 census profile. Journal of the Australian Population Association, 15(2), 131-154. Eickmeyer, K. (2016). Even More 'Premarital Divorce': Cohabitation and Multiple Union Dissolutions during Young Adulthood. (Electronic Thesis or Dissertation). Retrieved from https://etd.ohiolink.edu/, last accessed 26/05/2018. Eickmeyer, K. J., & Manning, W. D. (2018). Serial Cohabitation in Young Adulthood: Baby Boomers to Millennials. Journal of Marriage and Family, 80(4), 826-840. Kennedy, S., & Bumpass, L. (2008). Cohabitation and children's living arrangements: New estimates from the United States. Demographic research, 19, 1663-1692. 

Millennials' representations regarding cohabitation: a qualitative exploratory study

Open Repository of the University of Porto

ABSTRACTS BOOK OF 3rd WORLD CONFERENCE ON QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 
 
 
74 
    
Millennials’ representations regarding cohabitation: 
a qualitative exploratory study 
Mariana Silva1, Gonçalo Reis1, Catarina Brandão1 
 
1Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. mariana96dtms@gmail.com; 
goncalomanuelreis@gmail.com; catarina@fpce.up.pt 
 
Living together without marrying has become a common trend (Carmichael, 1995; Carmichael & 
Mason, 1998). Coabitation is increasingly a normative step in relationships, reflecting a short-lived 
union, which usually lasts two years (Kennedy & Bumpass, 2008). When the couple reaches the third-
year cohabitating, the relationship tends to culminate in either dissolution or marriage. Cohabitation 
is an option particularly for individuals belonging to generation Millennial. Relationships have become 
far more unstable for Millennials than they were for Baby Boomers or Generation X (Eickmeyer, 2016) 
and one quarter of Millennials will probably cohabitate, in contrast to only 16% of the Baby Boomer 
cohort (Eickmeyer & Manning, 2018). 
The goal of this study is to explore and identify Millennials’ representations regarding cohabitation 
with a romantic partner. We conducted a qualitative exploratory and descriptive research, aiming to 
explore (1) the challenges that Millennials associate to cohabitation; (2) how Millennials would prepare 
the process of transitioning to cohabitation; and (3) the strategies they believe to have a positive 
impact in transitioning to cohabitation.  
We gathered data using an online questionnaire answered by individuals belonging to Generation 
Millennial, in a romantic relationship but not cohabitating, 18 women and 12 men, age ranging from 
20 to 27 years. We also conducted an interview with a couple belonging to generation millennial, 
cohabitating for eight months (at the time of the interview), after dating for four years. Both are 22 
years old. Data was analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis following the proposal of Braun and 
Clarke (2006), using NVivo11 (QSR). 
The main challenges anticipated in this study are related to managing the dynamic as a couple; how to 
reconcile each other’s resources; and ways of being. When focusing the process of preparing to 
transition to cohabitation, participants stress the importance of Planning; Securing several aspects of 
the relationship; and Communicating. Stayover is also a way of preparing the process (in the form of a 
training), as well as being empathic regarding the partner. The strategies that once cohabitating should 
be adopted to guarantee the cohabitation success are Adapting to the partner; Communication; 
Financial management; Focus on the self; Sharing; and Spending time together. 
Results suggest the importance of communication and planning before cohabitation, as well as 
ensuring space for oneself. Workload, financial management, coping with the routine and housework 
are seen as challenges. The couple’s experience is coherent with many of the representations 
regarding cohabitation. Social support was absent in the questionnaires data, but is experienced as 
fundamental by the couple. Knowing what Millennials think regarding cohabitation allows 
understanding how they approach this new chapter in life. 
Keywords: Cohabitation, Transition, Millennials, Exploratory research, Qualitative Thematic Analysis 
 
 
ABSTRACTS BOOK OF 3rd WORLD CONFERENCE ON QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 
 
 
75 
    
References 
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in 
Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa. 
Carmichael, G. A. (1995). Consensual partnering in the more developed countries. Journal of the 
Australian Population Association, 12(1), 51-86. 
Carmichael, G., & Mason, C. (1998). Consensual partnering in Australia: A review and 1991 census 
profile. Journal of the Australian Population Association, 15(2), 131-154. 
Eickmeyer, K. (2016). Even More 'Premarital Divorce': Cohabitation and Multiple Union Dissolutions 
during Young Adulthood. (Electronic Thesis or Dissertation). Retrieved from 
https://etd.ohiolink.edu/, last accessed 26/05/2018. 
Eickmeyer, K. J., & Manning, W. D. (2018). Serial Cohabitation in Young Adulthood: Baby Boomers to 
Millennials. Journal of Marriage and Family, 80(4), 826-840. 
Kennedy, S., & Bumpass, L. (2008). Cohabitation and children's living arrangements: New estimates 
from the United States. Demographic research, 19, 1663-1692. 


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Millennials' representations regarding cohabitation: a qualitative exploratory study

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