ABSTRACT
Modernization theory has often been used by demographers to interpret changes in family structure. The dependent variable was constructed as a dichotomy, distinguishing between family and nonfamily living arrangements. The analysis applies a multivariate regression model of living arrangement choices to each of the main racial/ethnic groups independently. An extension of the trend away from the extended family with close kin ties to the more isolated nuclear family is the pattern for the "unattached," characterized by independent living arrangements. Hispanics are perceived as valuing family relationships so that collective familial needs take precedence over individual needs. Racial/ethnic origins are coded into three main categories: Blacks, Hispanics, and whites. Economic feasibility and kin availability cannot totally account for ethnic and racial variation in living arrangements. The divorced, having more available relatives than the never married, are less likely to live with relatives than are the single, even when controlling for income.
