An Exploration of the Predictors of Relationship Status with a Caveat on Interpretation

Abstract

Using the Puerto Rican Maternal and Infant Health Study dataset (PRMIHS), the predictors of relationship status were examined via probit regression. The strongest predictors of relationship status found were interactions between binary variables for the age. A respondent first had sexual intercourse and for the age when a respondent first entered into a union (N = 1452). This paper concludes by arguing that the results provide support for viewing union status as being primarily dependent on the people involved in the union, as opposed to being primarily dependent on factors external to the people themselves.