THE PREVALENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF BLACKS HAVING A SUCCESSFUL MARITAL RECONCILIATION

This study, using 1987-88 National Survey of Families and Households d ata, has provided some insight as to the prevalence and characteristic s of black women who had a successful reconciliation in their first ma rriage. Approximately one-fourth of the women attempting a marital rec onciliation are still married more than one year after the reconciliat ion began. Logistic regression analysis shows that age at separation a nd premarital fertility are significantly related to the success of an attempted reconciliation. The results of this study are considered in the context of previous research on marital dissolution thus increasi ng our understanding of the process of marital dissolution.