Romantic Relationships, Parenthood, and the Personal Sense of Control During the Transition to Adulthood

• In Event: 3422 - Section on Aging and Life Course Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: Table 09. Transitions to Adulthood

Abstract

Solidifying a strong personal sense of mastery or control over life is a key developmental task during the transition to adulthood. Existing research shows the contemporary transition to adulthood is marked by later ages at first marriage and parenthood, with a significant proportion of the population postponing these roles until their thirties or even foregoing them all together. Unlike prior generations for whom the on-time role accumulation of marriage and parenthood solidified adulthood, we ask whether differing present-day patterns alter the impact of these roles on the mastery of young adults. We investigate the extent to which intimate relationship status (i.e., marriage, cohabitation, monogamous dating, and singlehood) and parenthood simultaneously shape mastery for a longitudinal, nationally representative sample of 18 to 34 years. Regardless of parenthood and gender, we find that married and cohabiting individuals have higher mastery than their monogamously dating and single counterparts. On average, single fathers and mothers have the lowest mastery. Age qualifies the effects of relationship-parenthood status on mastery. As individuals age from their late twenties into their early thirties married and monogamously dating men without children have the highest levels of mastery, while cohabiting men without children and monogamously dating mothers have the lowest levels of mastery.

Authors

• C. Andre Christie-Mizell, Vanderbilt University

• Brittany Nicole Hearne, Vanderbilt University

• Ashleigh Rene Hope, Vanderbilt University

• Ryan Talbert, Vanderbilt University

• Cleothia Frazier, Vanderbilt University