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 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

FINDINGS (RUTGERS STUDY)

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)

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