Household labor allocation among married and cohabiting couples in Italy

This article examines the differences between currently married and currently cohabiting couples in their household labor allocation in Italy, distinguishing the experience of both premarital cohabitation and previous unions with other partners. Results suggest that, from one hand, cohabiting couples present more equal arrangements of household labor time than married ones, but the more equal allocation of premarital cohabitation is not carried into marriage. On the other hand, contrary to hypothesis, the experience of previous unions does not mean more equal allocation of household labor in the current union either for marriages or cohabitations.