MARITAL STATUS AND MENTAL HEALTH

1. MARITAL STATUS AND MENTAL HEALTH

2. I. TRADITIONAL VIEW • MARRIAGE IS GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH (FROM DURKHEIM) • SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS • INTERPERSONAL - SOCIAL SUPPORT, EMOTIONAL SECURITY, INTIMACY • SOCIAL INTEGRATION - TIES TO COMMUNITY

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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?

6. II. BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE DATED • CHANGES IN SOCIAL NORMS • STAYING SINGLE AND GETTING DIVORCED NOT STIGMATIZED • RISE OF COHABITATION • FREEDOM AND AUTONOMY

7. III. FEMINIST VIEW • ADVANTAGES ONLY FOR MEN • MARRIAGE SOURCE OF OPPRESSION FOR WOMEN • ROLE OVERLOAD • CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE

8. 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?

9. EVIDENCE

10. MARRIAGE AND DISTRESS • BOTH MEN AND WOMEN BENEFIT • MEN BENEFIT MORE • SELECTION?

11. 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

12. FINDINGS (RUTGERS STUDY)

13. 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.

14. CONCLUSIONS • MARRIAGE STILL GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH • GOOD FOR BOTH SEXES • NOT SELECTION • MOST SUPPORT FOR TRADITIONAL VIEW

15. MARITAL DISSOLUTION

16. 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

17. 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

18. SELECTION • DOES DISSOLUTION LEAD TO MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS – CAUSATION? • OR DOES SELECTION OF WORST MENTAL HEALTH LEAD TO DISSOLUTION?

19. IMPACT OF DISSOLUTION (RUTGERS HHDP)

20. 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

21. CONCLUSIONS FOR MARITAL DISSOLUTION • DISSOLUTION VERY BAD FOR MENTAL HEALTH • WORSE THAN STAYING IN BAD MARRIAGE??

22. 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