Parental influences in union formation preferences among Turkisch, Maroccan and native Dutch adolescents in the Netherlands

This study first examines union formation preferences of Turkish, Moroccan, and Dutch adolescents. Second, the study shows how and to what extent parents are of influence on these preferences. Hypotheses are derived from cross-cultural psychology and theories on intergenerational transmission. Self-reported data of approximately 19,000 Dutch, 460 Turkish, and 400 Moroccan adolescents 11 to 23 years of age are used to test the hypotheses. Youth with a Turkish and Moroccan background, particularly those with a strong ethnic identification, more often prefer marriage than Dutch youth. Unmarried cohabitation (before marriage) is most popular among Dutch adolescents, but substantial proportions of immigrant youth also prefer this type of relationship. In addition, both parental characteristics and characteristics of the parentchild relationship are of major influence for adolescents' union formation preferences. The process of intergenerational transmission is found to be largely comparable among all groups. © 2007 Sage Publications.