What is your marital status?

Marital status · Asked in 31 waves, 1952–2024 · 71,176 responses · weighted estimates computed from individual responses

Codes that include 'no Pre/Post IW' were dropped for respondents without that interview. Dropped only in years where the codebook names a design split (alternate form, half sample, abbreviated or web instrument): 9 in 1952, 1992. Kept and flagged: 8 (other_missing), 9 (no_answer). Codebook notes: GENERAL NOTE: Common law partners first appeared as a volunteered code in 1964. Interviewer instruction 1990 and later: ‘If spouse is in a nursing home or works in another city, or the family is in the process of moving and is temporarily holding 2 residences, code 1 is used.’ 1952 NOTE: Rs who were not married have been recoded to NA because their specific status as divorced, widowed, never married etc. was not determined. Rs married at the time of the 1952 interview have all been coded 1 in VCF0147, with no 1952 cases appearing in codes 2-7. 1960 NOTE: 1960 pre variable was used except for 22 no-pre cases, for which post marital status was used. 1986 NOTE: Unmarried Rs were also asked if they were living with a partner. 1992 NOTE: This question was not part of the ‘short-form’ questionnaire; for short- form panel cases, however, 1990 study data were incorporated, except in cases where additional information current to 1992 [as determined by the interviewer] contradicted the marital status of 1990. In the latter instances, the 1992 marital status variable was coded to reflect the most complete and up-to-date information known by the interviewer. 2002 NOTE: For panel cases, 2000 data were included. 2008 NOTE: This question was asked in 2 versions; data are combined in this variable. 2012 NOTE: Unmarried Rs were asked if they were living with a partner. If R refused to indicate whether living with a partner, status according to lead question (codes 1-5) has been coded. 2016 NOTE: same as 2012