MARITAL STATUS AND MENTAL HEALTH

I. TRADITIONAL VIEW

• MARRIAGE IS GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH (FROM DURKHEIM)

• SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS• INTERPERSONAL - SOCIAL SUPPORT,

EMOTIONAL SECURITY, INTIMACY• SOCIAL INTEGRATION - TIES TO

COMMUNITY

BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE

• ECONOMIC WELL-BEING - MARRIED EARN MORE (WOMEN + $12,000; MEN + $7,000)

• HEALTH BEHAVIOR - MARRIED FEWER RISKIER BEHAVIORS, MORE HEALTH PROMOTIVE BEHAVIORS

RECENT CHANGES

• 1950 – MARRIED COUPLES 80% OF ALL HOUSEHOLDS; 2000 – 50%

• PEOPLE DELAYING MARRIAGE UNTIL LATE 20’S

• HUGE GROWTH OF PEOPLE LIVING ALONE – NOW 26% OF TOTAL

RECENT TRENDS

• 10X GROWTH OF COHABITATION SINCE 1970

• MORE CHILDREN OUT-OF-WEDLOCK - 34% IN U.S.(VS. 5% IN 1960); 50% IN SCANDANAVIA

• HUGE GROWTH OF DIVORCE IN 1960s-1970s, STABLE SINCE THEN

• MARRIAGE WEAKENING?

II. BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE DATED

• CHANGES IN SOCIAL NORMS• STAYING SINGLE AND GETTING

DIVORCED NOT STIGMATIZED• RISE OF COHABITATION• FREEDOM AND AUTONOMY

III. FEMINIST VIEW

• ADVANTAGES ONLY FOR MEN• MARRIAGE SOURCE OF OPPRESSION

FOR WOMEN• ROLE OVERLOAD• CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE

THREE QUESTIONS

• HOW IS MARRIAGE RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH?

• HOW IS DIVORCE RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH?

• ARE MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE DIFFERENT FOR MEN AND WOMEN?

MARRIAGE AND DISTRESS

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• BOTH MEN AND WOMEN BENEFIT

• MEN BENEFIT MORE

• SELECTION?

RUTGERS HHDP STUDY (HORWITZ AND WHITE)

• LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF 1300 REPRESENTATIVE NEW JERSEY ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS

• FIVE SURVEYS IN 1980, 1983, 1986, 1993, 1998

• STARTED AT AGES 12, 15, AND 18• NOW ARE AGES 36 - 42

FINDINGS (RUTGERS STUDY)

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DEPALC

FINDINGS

• MARRIED BETTER MENTAL HEALTH • LESS DEPRESSION FOR BOTH

MARRIED MEN AND WOMEN• MARRIED HAVE FAR FEWER ALC

PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY WOMEN• SINGLE WOMEN MOST DEPRESSED• SINGLE MEN MOST ALCOHOL PROB.

CONCLUSIONS

• MARRIAGE STILL GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH

• GOOD FOR BOTH SEXES• NOT SELECTION• MOST SUPPORT FOR TRADITIONAL

VIEW

MARITAL DISSOLUTION

• SEP/DIV HAVE HIGHEST RATE OF ALL MENTAL DISORDERS, SUICIDE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG PROBLEMS, MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT

• SEPARATION MORE DISTRESSING THAN DIVORCE

• DIVORCE OFTEN STRESS RELIEF

WHY IS DISSOLUTION SO HARMFUL?

• CONFLICT AND TURMOIL• SELF-CONCEPTION• SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS/ SUPPORT• ECONOMIC DETERIORATION• CHANGE IN LIVING CONDITIONS• CHILDREN• ALL HAPPENING AT SAME TIME

SELECTION

• DOES DISSOLUTION LEAD TO MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS – CAUSATION?

• OR DOES SELECTION OF WORST MENTAL HEALTH LEAD TO DISSOLUTION?

IMPACT OF DISSOLUTION (RUTGERS HHDP)

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FINDINGS

• DISSOLUTION LEADS TO MORE DEPRESSION AND ALC. PROBLEMS

• MORE DEPRESSION AND ALCOHOL PROBLEMS FOR BOTH WOMEN AND MEN

• HARMFUL IMPACT OF DISSOLUTION SAME FOR MEN AND WOMEN

• NOT SELECTION

CONCLUSIONS FOR MARITAL DISSOLUTION

• DISSOLUTION VERY BAD FOR MENTAL HEALTH

• WORSE THAN STAYING IN BAD MARRIAGE??

CONCLUSIONS

• MENTALLY HEALTHY TO GET AND STAY MARRIED FOR BOTH SEXES

• MARITAL DISSOLUTION ESPECIALLY BAD FOR BOTH SEXES

• IMPLICATIONS BAD - MORE PEOPLE REMAINING UNMARRIED, MARRY LATER, GET DIVORCED