The household context of family transitions in Mexico

Federica Becca, Centre for demographic research (CED), Barcelona
Albert Esteve, Center for Demographic Studies (Barcelona)

Transitions to first union and childbearing in Mexico, as well as in most Latin American countries, often occur within the context of extended households. However, little is known about the prevalence and socioeconomic determinants of this practice. Using retrospective data from the 2017 Retrospective Demographic Survey (EDER) for cohorts born between 1962 and 1987 (N=13,215), we examine the household contexts in which men and women (i) begin cohabiting with a partner; (ii) cohabit with a child; and (iii) live with a child as single parents. The analysis is limited to men and women who were living in nuclear households prior to each transition. The results indicate that approximately 42% of women and 32% of men transition from a nuclear to an extended household when they start cohabiting. This practice is more prevalent at younger ages, among individuals with lower socioeconomic status, and in more recent cohorts. This pattern holds for all transitions examined, except for single motherhood, where extended coresidence is more common among high social strata. Further research is needed to explore whether these arrangements are temporary or more permanent. Overall, the results show that extended families play a significant role in adulthood transitions for young Mexicans.

Keywords: Families, Unions and Households, Children, Adolescents, and Youth

See paper.