ABSTRACT
There are many popular beliefs about why, since the 1980s, young people tend to stay at home longer in West-European countries and many people offer ad-hoc explanations for international differences. This chapter proposes a causal interpretation of correlations and an explanation in terms of configurations favouring intergenerational co-residence and those favouring early nest-leaving. It was shown that the socio-economtc theoretical model and, in particular, its statistical application, can reduce the unexplained variance in social independence patterns by 12 to 29 per cent, depending on gender and relation to studies. The statistical models explain students' patterns better that non-students' living arrangements and men's social independence better than women's. Late nest-leaving in Spain is an outcome of lower income levels of Spanish youth compared to French young people. It is not necessary to argue in terms of different family cultures and social norms in order to explain cross-national differences in intergenerational co-residence in Spain and France.
