Family Arrangements in Chile

Viviana Salinas, University of Texas at Austin

This article describes the family arrangements in which women in Chile live, focusing on their current socioeconomic situation, and exploring to what extent such scenario is the result of long term disadvantages, coming from the structure and the socioeconomic status of the families where they grew up in. Data come from a post-partum survey, implemented in Chile during 2008-2009 (sample size 686). Results show the socioeconomic situation of women in different arrangements varies significantly. Women in nuclear marriages are quite apart in terms of age, education and economic resources. Nuclear cohabiters and married women in extended households follow. Cohabiters in extended households and non cohabiters are a third unit. They are the youngest, least educated, and more economically vulnerable women. The link with the household the respondents grew up in is strong. The original family socioeconomic status matters more than its structure to locate women in their current family arrangements.