Childhood family structure and family formation in early adulthood in Norway

Anne Reneflot

Norwegian register data covering all children born in 1974-79 are used to describe the relationship between childhood family structure and family formation in early adulthood. The rich data allow several types of non-intact families to be considered. Generally, family disruption during childhood is associated with an increased risk of having a child early and outside a union. This association is, however, stronger for women than men. Both women in non-intact families produced by death and divorce are more likely to have a child in early ages and to have it outside a union. Further, the remarriage of the mother is associated with an increased risk of early childbearing and having a child outside a union for women. No similar association is found for men. Both to men and women, only a modest part of the effect of family structure is mediated through educational attainment and enrolment status.