Matthijs Kalmijn

Why do lower educated people separate more often? Life strains and the gradient in union dissolution

This study finds that lower educated couples are more likely to separate than their better educated peers, because they experience strain across multiple aspects of their life, including work, finance, social relationships, health and housing. The research shows that lower educated couples are not in themselves more likely to separate, but rather face a range … Read more

The Comparative Panel File: Harmonized Household Panel Surveys from Seven Countries

Authors: Konrad Turek, Matthijs Kalmijn, Thomas Leopold,
Issue: 2021

The Comparative Panel File (CPF) harmonizes the world’s largest and longest-running household panel surveys from seven countries: Australia (HILDA), Germany (SOEP), United Kingdom (BHPS and UKHLS), South Korea (KLIPS), Russia (RLMS), Switzerland (SHP), and the United States (PSID). The project aims to support the social science community in the analysis of comparative life course data. … Read more

A New Look at the Separation Surge in Europe: Contrasting Adult and Child Perspectives

This paper looks at recent increases in relationship dissolution across eight European countries. It finds the phenomenon is more prevalent among childless and cohabiting couples as well as among those with lower levels of education. As separation is more common among the childless, the numbers of children affected may be lower than previously thought. But … Read more

Why is there an educational gradient in union dissolution? The strain thesis revisited

This study finds that lower educated couples are more likely to separate than their better educated peers, because they experience strain across multiple aspects of their life, including work, finance, social relationships, health and housing. The research shows that lower educated couples are not in themselves more likely to separate, but rather face a range … Read more